Abstract
For nearly two decades, the C++ programming language has been the dominant programming language for experimental HEP. The publication of ISO/IEC 14882:2011, the current version of the international standard for the C++ programming language, makes available a variety of language and library facilities for improving the robustness, expressiveness, and computational efficiency of C++ code. However, much of the C++ written by the experimental HEP community does not take advantage of the features of the language to obtain these benefits, either due to lack of familiarity with these features or concern that these features must somehow be computationally inefficient.In this paper, we address some of the features of modern C+-+, and show how they can be used to make programs that are both robust and computationally efficient. We compare and contrast simple yet realistic examples of some common implementation patterns in C, currently-typical C++, and modern C++, and show (when necessary, down to the level of generated assembly language code) the quality of the executable code produced by recent C++ compilers, with the aim of allowing the HEP community to make informed decisions on the costs and benefits of the use of modern C++.
Highlights
For nearly two decades, the C++ programming language has been the dominant programming language for experimental HEP
The publication of the current international standard for the C++ programming language [1] has enhanced existing features of the language, and provided several new features, all of which can aid in the writing of code that is more robust, and more maintainable, than previously possible
In discussions with physicist-programmers, that the most common reason raised against the use of language features that are unfamiliar is the fear of computational inefficiency, when compared to implementing the same or equivalent functionality through use of only the lowest-level features of the language
Summary
The C++ programming language has been the dominant programming language for experimental HEP. In the field of HEP, there is widespread ( not universal) reluctance to make use of some of the features of modern (and even 1998-era) C++. In discussions with physicist-programmers, that the most common reason raised against the use of language features that are unfamiliar is the fear of computational inefficiency, when compared to implementing the same or equivalent functionality through use of only the lowest-level features of the language. Our goal is to provide the readers with sufficient evidence to overcome their reluctance to use the language and library features we discuss, so that they may benefit from the greater expressiveness of modern C++
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