C++ Coding Standards: 101 Rules, Guidelines, and Best Practices

77. Use vector and string instead of arrays

Summary

Why juggle Ming vases? Avoid implementing array abstractions with C-style arrays, pointer arithmetic, and memory management primitives. Using vector or string not only makes your life easier, but also helps you write safer and more scalable software.

Discussion

Buffer overruns and security flaws are, hands down, a front-running scourge of today’s software. Silly limitations due to fixed-length arrays are a major annoyance even when within the limits of correctness. Most of these are caused by using bare C-level facilities—such as built-in arrays, pointers and pointer arithmetic, and manual memory management—as a substitute for higher-level concepts such as buffers, vectors, or strings.