API Design for C++

by Martin Reddy

API Design for C++, Second Edition provides a comprehensive discussion of Application Programming Interface (API) development, from initial design through implementation, testing, documentation, release, versioning, maintenance, and deprecation. It is the only book that teaches the strategies of C++ API development, including interface design, versioning, scripting, and plug-in extensibility. Drawing from the author's experience on large scale, collaborative software projects, the text offers practical techniques of API design that produce robust code for the long-term. It presents patterns and practices that provide real value to individual developers as well as organizations.The Second Edition includes all new material fully updated for the latest versions of C++, including a new chapter on concurrency and multithreading, as well as a new chapter discussing how Objective C++ and C++ code can co-exist and how a C++ API can be accessed from Swift programs. In addition, it explores often overlooked issues, both technical and non-technical, contributing to successful design decisions that produce high quality, robust, and long-lived APIs. It focuses on various API styles and patterns that will allow you to produce elegant and durable libraries. A discussion on testing strategies concentrates on automated API testing techniques rather than attempting to include end-user application testing techniques such as GUI testing, system testing, or manual testing.

- Teaches the strategies of C++ API development, including design, versioning, documentation, testing, scripting, and extensibility
- Includes extensive code examples that illustrate each concept, with fully functional examples and working source code for experimentation available online
- Covers various API styles and patterns, with a focus on practical and efficient designs for large-scale, long-term projects
- Includes updated URLs and ensures all code examples continue to work with modern compilers and supporting tools

Genres: Programming, Computer Science, Software, Computers, Technology, Nonfiction, Engineering

621 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[gargamelscat · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

I learned almost nothing from this, maybe the inevitable consequence of spending so much of my life at this game. You just can never tell until you've been through it.

A useful compendium of best practices for any novice though. Succinct, well organised and competently written. But oh how I wish for something of the quality of a Jon Bentley or a Herb Sutter.

[Ondrej Sykora · Rating 4 out of 5]

In practice, this is more a book of good development practices, a bit like Code Complete, but more concise and slightly directed towards public API development.

I didn't learn anything new, but it's a nice compilation and might be worth for beginners.

[Claudiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this book cover to cover as I was already familiar with some of the concepts, like the design patterns.
But being primarily a developer for C APIs, I found this book immensely useful when given the task to design a C++ API. Accidentally breaking backward compatibility is probably the biggest nightmare of any SDK developer, and this book extensively covers what you need to do to avoid it.
I didn't know the ABI compatibility is so fragile in C++, and I'm sure the book has saved me a lot of headaches. After reading it I really understand why some people choose to expose their API in C even though what's underneath is full C++.

[Steven Smethurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good language specific book in API and class interface design

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of good ideas in this book, though I feel the author is more mistrusting of the users of his APIs than I tend to be.

[Minh Bui · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book discussed many topics in programming in general and C++.

[Paulo Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really easy read. Nothing complicated, just good advices. Most of them things that I've been implementing, or already knew. But it's always interesting to reinforce our knowledge. I feel it's a book that all software engineers should read. The world would be a better place if they followed the advice herein.

The only thing I would say is arguable is the treatment of copy-on-write (COW). The opinion expressed by this author doesn't consider the arguments given by Sutter in "More Exceptional C++" item 16. The dangers of COW in multi-threaded environments.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing unique, new or particularly advanced But it's nice to have all this material in one source.

[Frederic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good resource for beginners, but I learned almost nothing.

[Shubham Kumar gautam]

good

[Dmitry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to check C++ related knowledge coverage, to spot a gaps.

[Oleg Sych · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great first few chapters with practical advice on C++ API design; rest of the book devolved into high-level rehash of other works, a lot of it out of date.

[Drexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any C++ programmer. It basically ensures that the stuff one's suppose to be aware of and know in-depth are still in the attic of the mind. It's definitely one for the shelf.

[Ayush Tomar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and easy to read. Beginners can learn a lot from this book.