.. _doc_cpp_usage_guidelines:

C++ usage guidelines
====================

Rationale
---------

Since Godot 4.0, the C++ standard used throughout the codebase is a subset of
**C++17**. While modern C++ brings a lot of opportunities to write faster, more
readable code, we chose to restrict our usage of C++ to a subset for a few
reasons:

- It makes it easier to review code in online editors. This is because engine
  contributors don't always have access to a full-featured IDE while reviewing
  code.
- It makes the code easier to grasp for beginner contributors (who may not be
  professional C++ programmers). Godot's codebase is known to be easy to learn
  from, and we'd like to keep it that way.

To get your pull request merged, it needs to follow the C++ usage guidelines
outlined here. Of course, you can use features not allowed here in your own C++
modules or GDExtensions.

.. note::

    Prior to Godot 4.0, the C++ standard used throughout the codebase was C++03,
    with a handful of C++14 extensions. If you are contributing a pull request
    to the `3.x` branch rather than `master`, your code can't use C++17 features.
    Instead, your code must be able to be built with a C++14 compiler.

    The guidelines below don't apply to third-party dependencies, although we
    generally favor small libraries instead of larger solutions. See also
    :ref:`doc_best_practices_for_engine_contributors`.

.. seealso::

    See :ref:`doc_code_style_guidelines` for formatting guidelines.

Disallowed features
-------------------

**Any feature not listed below is allowed.** Using features like ``constexpr``
variables and ``nullptr`` is encouraged when possible. Still, try to keep your
use of modern C++ features conservative. Their use needs to serve a real
purpose, such as improving code readability or performance.

.. _doc_cpp_godot_types:

Standard Template Library
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We don't allow using the `STL <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Template_Library>`__
as Godot provides its own data types (among other things).
See :ref:`doc_faq_why_not_stl` for more information.

This means that pull requests should **not** use ``std::string``,
``std::vector`` and the like. Instead, use Godot's datatypes as described in
the :ref:`doc_core_types` documentation.

A 📜 icon denotes the type is part of :ref:`Variant <doc_variant_class>`. This
means it can be used as a parameter or return value of a method exposed to the
scripting API.

``auto`` keyword
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please don't use the ``auto`` keyword for type inference. While it can avoid
repetition, it can also lead to confusing code:

.. code-block:: cpp

    // Not so confusing...
    auto button = memnew(Button);

    // ...but what about this?
    auto result = EditorNode::get_singleton()->get_complex_result();

Keep in mind hover documentation often isn't readily available for pull request
reviewers. Most of the time, reviewers will use GitHub's online viewer to review
pull requests.

The ``auto`` keyword can be used in some special cases, like C++ lambda or Objective-C block
definitions and C++ templates. Please ask before using templates with ``auto`` in a pull request.

.. code-block:: cpp

    // Full type definitions.
    void (*mult64to128)(uint64_t, uint64_t, uint64_t &, uint64_t &) = [](uint64_t u, uint64_t v, uint64_t &h, uint64_t &l) { ... }
    void (^JOYSTICK_LEFT)(GCControllerDirectionPad *__strong, float, float) = ^(GCControllerDirectionPad *dpad, float xValue, float yValue) { ... }

    // Less clutter with auto.
    auto mult64to128 = [](uint64_t u, uint64_t v, uint64_t &h, uint64_t &l) { ... }
    auto JOYSTICK_LEFT = ^(GCControllerDirectionPad *dpad, float xValue, float yValue) { ... }

    // Compare function for different types.
    template <typename T1, typename T2>
    constexpr auto MIN(const T1 m_a, const T2 m_b) {
        return m_a < m_b ? m_a : m_b;
    }

We chose to forbid ``auto`` in all other cases. Thank you for your understanding.

Lambdas
~~~~~~~

Lambdas should be used conservatively when they make code effectively faster or
simpler, and do not impede readability. Please ask before using lambdas in a
pull request.

``#ifdef``-based include guards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starting with 4.5, all files now use the ``#pragma once`` directive, as they
improve readability and declutter macros. Use of ``#ifdef``-based include
guards are now actively discouraged.

``try``-``catch`` blocks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

C++ style exception handling using ``try`` and ``catch`` blocks is forbidden.
This restriction is in place for several reasons, including performance, binary
size and code complexity.
Use :ref:`doc_common_engine_methods_and_macros_error_macros` instead.


.. seealso::

    See :ref:`doc_code_style_guidelines_header_includes` for guidelines on sorting
    includes in C++ and Objective-C files.
