Effective C is a popular book written by Scott Meyers, a renowned software development expert and educator. Published in 1992, the book has become a must-read for C programmers looking to improve their skills and write more efficient, robust, and maintainable code.
Meyers begins his book with a quote from Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C , which sets the tone for the rest of the book: C is a language for managing complexity. This quote perfectly captures the essence of the book, as Meyers dives deep into the intricacies of the language and provides practical advice on how to write effective C code.
The book is divided into five sections, with each section focusing on a specific topic. The first section, titled Accustoming Yourself to C , lays the foundation for understanding the language by discussing topics such as resource management, object construction, and copying. This section is essential for beginners who are new to the language and need to understand its core concepts.
The second section, Making the Best Use of Classes and Resources, delves into topics such as class design, inheritance, and virtual functions. Meyers provides valuable insights on how to write well-designed classes and how to use resources effectively, helping readers avoid common pitfalls and write more efficient code.
The third section, Miscellany, covers a wide range of topics such as exception handling, templates, and the Standard Template Library (STL). This section caters to more experienced C programmers and offers advanced techniques and guidelines for writing robust and scalable code.
The fourth section, Maxims, Idioms, and Best Practices, is a collection of 55 effective C guidelines that Meyers has personally curated over the years. These guidelines provide a summary of the most important concepts discussed in the previous sections and serve as a handy reference for any C programmer.
Finally, the fifth section, Appendices, includes additional resources such as a list of keywords, operators, and functions in C , as well as a listing of official C standards.
In summary, Effective C by Scott Meyers is a comprehensive guide that covers every aspect of writing effective C code. The book is written in a clear and concise manner, with real-world examples and insights from the author’s own experiences. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced programmer, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their C skills and write more efficient code.
