What is the major authority (ies) for big C++ projects?

Question

For many years, I have been re-reading John Lakos's classic Large-Scale C++ Software Design. Not only it was the first guidebook of this kind, but it also revolutionized on how systems, developed in C++, are build, managed in an efficient fashion to this day!

Do you feel his ideas are outdated now? Some C++ techniques in the book are in fact old (don't forget that book has been written before the latest standard was published) .

What's a good authority to guide building of a big system in C++ nowadays.

Don't get me wrong, I am not giving up Lakos at all. It will always be referenced for me, and occupy a prime location on the bookshelf.

Thanks

Answer 1

Generally the following guys are regarded as leading authorities on C++:

1. Bjarne Stroustrup
2. Scott Meyers
3. Herb Sutter
4. Andrei Alexandrescu

The books/articles by all of them teach the best C++ practices.

Answer 2

The book's scope is narrow:

1. Move implementation details out of the header and into the CPP file
2. Avoid cyclic dependencies.

Although it goes into a lot of detail on these topics, the topics themselves are very narrow.

A lot, and IMO most, of the challenge of a "big C++ project" is elsewhere ...

• Version control for big teams / many branches
• Scheduling
• Integration testing
• Defining requirements
• Reliability
• Maintenance

... but these topics aren't C++-specific.

Answer 3

Interestingly, his next book, Scalable C++: Component-Based Development, is anticipated in 2006.

I don't think it has ever came to fruition... one day it may!

Also, Agile Principles and patterns are widespread and effective software developing paradigm. I am shifting my gears in that directions.

Check out this book: Agile Software Development, Principles, Patterns, and Practices

Answer 4

Last I heard from someone (I am 2nd connected to Lakos, if that matters) he was still working on his latest book in 2008.