本书与其姊妹篇《Effective C++》一样，本书充满了实用性很强的忠告，是C++程序员必备的读物。本书以实例说明异常处理带给C++类和函数的冲击。面地描述了C++专家所使用的高级技术，包括placement new、virtuali constructors、smart pointers、reference counting、proxy classes和double-dispatching等。介绍新的语言特性。包括bool、mutable、explicit、namespaces、成员模板、标准模板库等。如果你的编译器不支持这些特性，本书还介绍了如何不利用它们完成工作。

一些经过验证的用来改善程序效率的方法，包括检验C++语言特性所带来的时间和空间上的成本。

全面地描述了C++专家所使用的高级技术，包括placement new、virtuali constructors、smart pointers、reference counting、proxy classes和double-dispatching等。

以实例说明异常处理带给C++类和函数的冲击。

介绍新的语言特性。包括bool、mutable、explicit、namespaces、成员模板、标准模板库等。如果你的编译器不支持这些特性，本书还介绍了如何不利用它们完成工作。

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Basics

 Item 1:  Distinguish between pointers and references.

 Item 2:  Prefer C++-style casts.

 Item 3:  Never treat arrays polymorphically.

 Item 4:  Avoid gratuitous default constructors.

Operators

 Item 5:  Be wary of user-defined conversion functions.

 Item 6:  Distinguish between prefix and postfix forms of increment and decrement operators.

 Item 7:  Never overload &&, II, or 

 Item 8:  Understand the differentmeanings of new and delete.

Exceptions

 Item 9:  Use destructors to prevent resource leaks.

 Item 10: Prevent resource leaks in constructors.

 Item 11: Prevent exceptions from leaving destructors.

 Item 12: Understand how throwing an exception differs from passing a parameter or calling a virtual function.

 Item 13: Catch exceptions by reference.

 Item 14: Use exception specifications judiciously.

 Item 15: Understand the costs of exception handling.

Efficiency

  Item 16: Remember the 80-20 rule.

  Item 17: Consider using lazy evaluation.

  Item 18: Amortize the cost of expected computations.

  Item 19: Understand the origin of temporary objects.

  Item 20: Facilitate the return value optimization.

  Item 21: Overload to avoid implicit type conversions.

  Item 22: Consider using op= instead of stand-alone op.

  Item 23: Consider alternative libraries.

  Item 24: Understand the costs of virtual functions, multiple inheritance, virtual base classes, and RTrl.

Techniques

  Item 25: Virtualizing constructors and non-member functions.

  Item 26: Limiting the number of objects of a class.

  Item 27: Requiring or prohibiting heap-based objects.

  Item 28: Smart pointers.

  Item 29: Reference counting.

  Item 30: Proxy classes.

  Item 31: Making functions virtual with respect to more than one object

Miscellany

  Item 32: Program in the future tense.

  Item 33: Make non-leaf classes abstract.

  Item 34: Understand how to combine C++ and C in the same program.

  Item 35: Familiarize yourself with the language standard.

Recommended Reading

An auto-ptr Implementation

General Index

Index of Example Classes, Functions, and Templates