Minimize Source File Dependencies to Reduce Compilation Time

Minimize Source File Dependencies to Reduce Compilation Time

To an extent, the orthodox approach of dedicating a separate .cpp and .h file for every class is the way to go. However, in real world programming, you soon find yourself recompiling every app for hours just because you added another data member to a class. I normally group several related classes in a single .h file. Similarly, I implement these classes in a single .cpp file.

The question is: What are related classes? Two derived classes can usually be considered related (think of a family of exception classes), and so are classes that depend on one another, or classes that participate in a single task.

My experience shows that when you change a class, you usually have to compile all the related classes. By grouping all the related declarations in a single physical file, you gain faster compilation and you also minimize the number of #include directives you need to use. (Note that with every #include directive, a substantial amount of time is wasted on accessing the physical files, opening them and reading their contents). When you have fewer separate physical files, the total build time is reduced, even if your app doesn’t change. Several compilers also have incremental compilation and link features that you can apply in order to reduce build time.

Share the Post:
XDR solutions

The Benefits of Using XDR Solutions

Cybercriminals constantly adapt their strategies, developing newer, more powerful, and intelligent ways to attack your network. Since security professionals must innovate as well, more conventional endpoint detection solutions have evolved

AI is revolutionizing fraud detection

How AI is Revolutionizing Fraud Detection

Artificial intelligence – commonly known as AI – means a form of technology with multiple uses. As a result, it has become extremely valuable to a number of businesses across

AI innovation

Companies Leading AI Innovation in 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming industries and revolutionizing business operations. AI’s potential to enhance efficiency and productivity has become crucial to many businesses. As we move into 2023, several

data fivetran pricing

Fivetran Pricing Explained

One of the biggest trends of the 21st century is the massive surge in analytics. Analytics is the process of utilizing data to drive future decision-making. With so much of

kubernetes logging

Kubernetes Logging: What You Need to Know

Kubernetes from Google is one of the most popular open-source and free container management solutions made to make managing and deploying applications easier. It has a solid architecture that makes

ransomware cyber attack

Why Is Ransomware Such a Major Threat?

One of the most significant cyber threats faced by modern organizations is a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks have grown in both sophistication and frequency over the past few years, forcing

data dictionary

Tools You Need to Make a Data Dictionary

Data dictionaries are crucial for organizations of all sizes that deal with large amounts of data. they are centralized repositories of all the data in organizations, including metadata such as