Do you recommend Native C++ to C++\CLI shift?

Question

I have been working as a native C++ programmer for last few years. Now we are starting a new project from the scratch. So what is your thoughts on shifting to C++\CLI at the cost of loosing platform independent code. Are there are any special advantages that one can gain by shifting to C++\CLI?

Answer 1

Is there any benefit to you? You will likely lose the ablity to switch to another OS.

Answer 2

I would recommend the following, based on my experience with C++, C# and .NET:

• If you want to go the .NET way, use C#.
• If you do not want .NET, use traditional C++.
• If you have to bridge traditional C++ with .NET code, use C++/CLI. Works both with .NET calling C++ classes and C++ calling .NET classes.

I see no sense in just going to C++/CLI if you don't need it.

Answer 3

don't bother unless you're integrating with .NET apps. Certainly do not use STL/CLR as its performance is truly awful.

Its tempting to flip that switch to use the .NET class libraries, but there are alternatives. If you do this, you will not be able to port your code so easily.

It also seems that the rise of OSS is increasing, so now might be the time to investigate using cross-platform libraries and tools. You can deploy a linux app much more easily than a windows one (by shipping a fully-configured OS!), and you get much better ROI if you deploy linux clients (as they're free).

If I were a businessman, I would be looking to at least have the capability to deploy on linux or mac than just windows-only. Strategically, I would not want to bet that the world stayed with Microsoft in 5 years time.

Answer 4

Some questions to consider before switching:

[1] Are you fine with sticking to Windows? There are .NET clones for other OS's, but your app is not going to just run transparently. A complexity you might not need.

[2] Are you considering switching just for the garbage collection support? If so, you can just use some C++ garbage collector libraries. And if you figure out how to leverage std::shared_ptr, you might not feel the need for garbage collectors. An overhead you might not need.

[3] Are you considering C++/CLI because of the garbage collection & all the useful .NET classes that you can leverage? If so, why not just switch to c#. C++/CLI is a transitional technology, and it is best not to invest resources in such things. c# is getting pretty mature and usable.

Personally, I would just stick with C++ ;).

Answer 5

The main advantage you would get moving to C++/CLI is to get access to the .NET libraries and the framework itself (garbage collection etc.). However, as far as I can tell the main reason C++/CLI exists is to ease the porting of existing C++ code to run in the .NET framework. New projects are encouraged to use C#.

If you need to use existing C++ code mixed in with the .NET framework, then it would make sense to use C++/CLI, but in general you should just begin with C#.

If there is something in .NET that the new project needs to use extensively (maybe simpler GUI design or something), then use C#. if not, then stick with native C++. I don't think you will lose anything by doing that.

Answer 6

I dislike C++/CLI so much that I'd recommend steering clear, as I describe here. Some suggest using C++/CLI as a bridge between standard C++ and C#, but thanks to the way C++/CLI is designed, it is very tedious to use that way (you have to manually create wrappers of normal C++ code that can be called from C#). Therefore, I would recommend SWIG instead for interfacing standard C++ with C# (although admittedly, SWIG has a substantial learning curve).

Answer 7

Take a look at those two articles:

A Critical Overview of C++/CLI, Part I

A Critical Overview of C++/CLI, Part II

I believe that by now you are convinced as I am that C++/CLI is neither a "set of extensions to C++" (in many aspects it’s actually a subset of C++), nor is it related to C++ more than any other language with semicolons and curly braces. Furthermore, C++/CLI is definitely a Windows-oriented programming language; it’s definitely not a language that a Solaris 10 server or a Nokia mobile phone will be happy to run. What does it have anything to do with C++?

Answer 8

One main disadvantage of using C++/CLR is the possibility of losing your IP (intellectual Property) if the code is not obscured suficently. In general I agree with the statements made by other members here. If you want portable code independant of the MS .net vm then native C/C++ is the way to go.