Effective C++: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Design (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing) [Paperback]

Scott Meyers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201924889 | ISBN-13: 978-0201924886 | Publication Date: September 2, 1997 | Edition: 2

The first edition of Effective C++ sold nearly 100,000 copies and was translated into four languages. It's easy to understand why. Scott Meyers' practical approach to C++ described the rules of thumb employed by the experts-the things they almost always do or almost always avoid doing-to produce clear, correct, efficient code. Each of this book's 50 guidelines summarizes a way to write better C++, and the accompanying discussions are backed by specific examples. For this new edition, Meyers reworked every guideline in the book. The result is exceptional adherence to C++'s Draft International Standard, current compiler technology, and the latest insights into the use of C++ for real-world applications.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This exceptionally useful text offers Scott Myers's expertise in C++ class design and programming tips. The second edition incorporates recent advances to C++ included in the ISO standard, including namespaces and built-in template classes, and is required reading for any working C++ developer.

The book opens with some hints for porting code from C to C++ and then moves on to the proper use of the new and delete operators in C++ for more robust memory management. The text then proceeds to class design, including the proper use of constructors, destructors, and overloaded operator functions for assignment within classes. (These guidelines ensure that you will create custom C++ classes that are fully functional data types, which can be copied and assigned just like built-in C++ classes.)

The author also provides a handful of suggestions for general class design, including strategies for using different types of inheritance and encapsulation. Never doctrinaire and always intelligent, these guidelines can make your C++ classes more robust and easier to maintain. --Richard Dragan

Review

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Effective C++ CD is the HTML (Netscape-oriented) version of Scott Meyers' previous two works, Effective C++, Second Edition and More Effective C++. Additionally, five supplementary magazine articles appear in the collection. There are also links to relevant material on the Web which that been added to the current edition and which did not appear in the print edition.

Scott Meyers' work is so well known as scarcely to need introduction. Respect for his C++ acumen and pedagogic skills is so widespread that I was prepared to thoroughly detest his work, which I have encountered often but barely deigned to read to date.

On close examination, I find Meyers' books to be superb.

Of the 50 catechismic "Items" in the body of Effective C++, the vast majority are of critical importance to solid C++ programming. Virtually everything Scott Meyers suggests on these subjects is germane and practical. Where one could conceivably differ with Meyers' approach, his is nevertheless an entirely sound approach.

The second volume, More Effective C++, is cast in the same mold as the first volume. Here the discussion of 35 further "Items" tends to devolve somewhat towards matters of style. However, these are still critical issues being raised that the intermediate C++ programmer must confront sooner or later, athey are shipped too early. They fail because they arenthey are shipped too early. They fail because they arens presented in Meyers' rich and sympathetic tutorial prose. --Jack Woehr, Dr. Dobb's Journal -- Dr. Dobb's Journal

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2 edition (September 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201924889
• ISBN-13: 978-0201924886
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #275,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Scott Meyers is one of the world's foremost experts on C++ software development. He offers training and consulting services to clients worldwide.

Scott wrote the best-selling Effective C++ series (Effective C++, More Effective C++, and Effective STL), wrote and designed the innovative Effective C++ CD, is consulting editor for Addison Wesley's Effective Software Development Series, and was a founding member of the Advisory Board for The C++ Source. He has served as a technical advisor to several start-up companies, and he received the 2009 Dr. Dobb's Excellence in Programming Award. A programmer since 1972, he holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from Brown University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't write C++ code without it..., March 3, 2000

By 

Andrew Harbick (Harrisonburg, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Effective C++: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Design (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing) (Paperback)

From beginning to end this book is packed with information that is IMMEDIATELY applicable. For example "Always declare destructors to be virtual" otherwise you may end leaking memory when subclasses are deleted. Or hiding the implementation of a class in an "Impl" that your class just passes through to. That way, if the implementation changes, the clients of the class are protected from recompilation.

Beyond the wealth of just downright practical information the oragization is fabulous. The only other technical book that has organization as good as this one is "Design Patterns" There are several chapters such as "Memory Management" that have "Items" and each item has a few paragraphs describing the motivation for why you should believe Meyers with examples to prove it. Then there are solid examples that show the implemantation of an example usage.

My company gave this book out with "Design Patterns" to EVERY developer in the company, and it was probably the smartest thing I've ever seen a company do.

Read it and learn a TON.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific coverage of fundamental C++ techniques, December 18, 1999

By 

Robert D. C. Shearer (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Effective C++: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Design (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing) (Paperback)

An absolutely terrific book focusing on basic C++ and object-oriented programming techniques. A crucial book for anyone new to C++ to read.

While _Effective C++_ is an important and fundamental part of any C++ programmer's library, truly advanced C++ engineers are likely familiar with most or all of the techniques presented here (dynamic allocation, constructors, basic coding style, etc.). Scott Meyers' second book, _More Effective C++_, covers significantly more advanced techniques which the experienced programmer may not have encountered in everyday code and which may be more instructive. It is only in deference to that book that I have given this one 4 (or, if I could, 4.9) stars.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, January 6, 2001

By 

Stephen Daly (Rehoboth Beach, De) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Effective C++: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Design (2nd Edition) (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing) (Paperback)

There seems to be a whole slew of books out titled "<adjective> C++" and I suspect this was the first. If not, it should at least be the model.

The book is set up as 50 small chapters describing particular principles. Each is useful and clearly-presented in a manner that is not daunting.

I've read many C++ books, including many of the <adjective> books and I have no problem proclaiming this as simply the best. Other books may cover more ground (Stroustrup's books, for example), others may be more current and others may be more advanced (I've recently been humbled by "Exceptional C++") but I think "Effective C++" is the most useful.

If you're looking for a book to teach you the language, or if you're just learning the language, I'd say wait a little while before reading this book. If you've been writing code and haven't read this book, go for it. Although it's dated (pre-standard library) the concepts it covers are important ones that have not disappeared after standardization.

I hope that when I write my book, "Extraterrestrial C++," I can do half as good a job.