Keynote: What can C++ do for embedded systems developers?

on YouTube ↗01h 08m

" summary

Argues that modern C++ gives zero-overhead abstraction and real predictability: templates and constexpr produce identical assembly on x86/ARM (verified with Compiler Explorer), an integer-sqrt and compile-time date routines exist and run at compile time, and a no-virtual, template-based driver pattern is deployed in the field with better latency. Recommends full C++ except on critical paths, avoid dynamic allocation at runtime (no malloc after takeoff), use exceptions only for very rare events (~100 occurrences), and follow the C++ Core Guidelines and static analyzers from Microsoft/others.

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" chapters (31)

1. 0:00Intro
2. 0:29Overview
3. 3:12What is "embedded systems programming"?
4. 6:01Who are "embedded systems programmers"?
5. 7:28Complexity
6. 8:392014 UBM survey
7. 9:59Programming Languages
8. 12:35C++ Background
9. 13:47C++ machine model • Primitive operations maps to machine instructions
10. 16:20Abstraction
11. 18:20Tools
12. 18:40Constraints on "embedded systems code" differ
13. 21:55Where compactness matters
14. 22:28Zero-overhead (classes vs structs)
15. 28:49Constant expressions
16. 31:19Compile-time computation
17. 36:21Simple selection
18. 38:13Static polymorphism (simplest form)
19. 38:45Zero-overhead features
20. 40:16Ordinary code
21. 41:13Why type-rich code?
22. 42:45Resource Management
23. 43:30Resources and Errors
24. 45:16We need error-code and exceptions
25. 47:35Are exceptions zero-overhead?
26. 48:50Simple experiment
27. 50:34When you use exceptions
28. 52:44RAll without exceptions?
29. 53:53Ordinary features
30. 56:55Keep simple things simple!
31. 57:48Build on a sound foundation

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