Basic C++ Idioms / Techniques

Question

Note: marked as community wiki.

In recent days, I've realized how little I know about C++.

Besides:

• using the STL
• implementing RAII
• implementing ref-counted smart pointers
• writing my own policy-based template classes
• overloading operators << for fun

What other techniques are must-know for a good C++ programmer?

Thanks!

Answer 1

• OO Design
• Types of exception safety guarantees (which is what most design patterns/idioms are based on).
• When to use which standard containers
• Boost

Answer 2

(hardly a must-know, but still useful) Writing domain-specific languages with operator overloading and template metaprogramming (see Boost.Spirit for a nice example) - but this is the kind of thing that makes shooting yourself in the foot easy, too.

Answer 3

The first two are 'must know' for a good C++ programmer. 'Good C++ programmers' do not overload operators for fun.

Answer 4

I think this should cover it:

More C++ Idioms - Wikibooks