Software Engineering Is About Tradeoffs

Explore software engineering tradeoffs and architectural decision-making in this NDC TechTown 2021 conference talk. Delve into the complexities of software design, focusing on the absence of universal "best" solutions and the necessity of compromise. Examine major disagreements in C++ design and analyze specific challenges encountered during the development of mp-units, a modern C++ physical units library. Engage with real-world examples, including std::string implementation, exception safety guarantees, and the One Definition Rule. Gain insights into the nuanced process of standardization and the difficulties of designing robust software systems. Participate in interactive problem-solving scenarios, weighing alternative solutions to common development issues.

Intro
Problem Solving vs. Point of View
The cost of finding the best solution
std::string (simplified)
How often do you analyze exception safety of your code?
The importance of the Exception Safety Guarantees
Imagine the C++ Standard Library with only Basic Exception Safety Guarantee
Never-Empty Guarantee of Boost.Variant
Unit-Specific Aliases: Example
Quantity References: Example
User Defined Literals: Example
Standardization takes time
Comparison
One Definition Rule (ODR) - Translation Unit
One Definition Rule (ODR) - Program
Problem: One Definition Rule Violation
But this is how some customization points behave
Solution #1: Keep it as it is
Compile-time error when resulting dimension or unit is
Get rid of the Downcasting Facility
Designing is Hard