Removing Implementation Details Using the pImpl Pattern

This chapter will wrap up our quest to expand your C++ programming repertoire beyond core OOP concepts, with the objective of further empowering you to solve recurring types of coding problems, utilizing common design patterns. Incorporating design patterns in your coding can not only provide refined solutions but also contribute to easier code maintenance and provide for potential code reuse.

The next design pattern that we will learn how to implement effectively in C++ is the pImpl pattern.

In this chapter, we will cover the following main topics:

• Comprehending the pImpl pattern and how it reduces compile-time dependencies
• Understanding how to implement the pImpl pattern in C++ using association and unique pointers
• Recognizing performance issues relating to pImpl and necessary trade-offs

By the end of this chapter, you will understand the pImpl pattern and how it can be used to separate implementation...