The upcoming C++20 standard will formally bring in syntax to C++'s decades-long notion of "concepts". Even though concepts are not formally in the language yet, the C++ Standard Library and many other libraries are designed with concepts in mind since the first ISO C++ standard.

Describing a concept is more complicated than it is to simply see how to use them. A "concept" can be thought of as a set of constraints/requirements applied to generic (i.e., template) parameters. The introduction of concepts in C++ will have one noticeable benefit in future C++ code: they will enable C++ compilers to finally report programmer-meaningful error messages when incorrect types are passed to code using templates.  This talk will introduce concepts and will discuss code examples using concepts that will work with some of the latest compiler releases.

 

Paul Preney is the on-campus representative for SHARCNET, Compute Ontario, and Compute Canada supporting researchers with high performance and advanced computing needs here at the University of Windsor and elsewhere in Canada.

Mr. Preney has an Hon. B.Sc. (Biology and Computer Science); M.Sc. (Computer Science); B.Ed. (Teachables: Biology and Computer Science); and is an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT). He is also a member of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Mirror Committee to SMC/JTC 1/SC 22 (Programming languages) and is a Subject Matter Expert of the SCC Mirror Cmte to SMC/JTC 1/SC 22/WG 21 (C++). He has taught courses at the secondary level and as a sessional instructor in Computer Science and Education at the University of Windsor.