Chapter 4. Conversions

C++'s type system is appropriately complex for a language of its expressive power. This base complexity is complicated further by the presence of user-defined conversions that may be applied implicitly during translation. In effect, the ability to extend the C++ language through the addition of abstract data types gives the designer the responsibility of designing an effective, safe, and coherent type system. Because C++ is largely statically typed, it should be possible to tame this complexity with effective design.

Unfortunately, poor coding practices can compromise even the most coherent designs. In this chapter, we'll look at some common practices that defeat static type safety. We'll also look at some frequently misunderstood areas of the C++ language that can result in compromised static type safety.