This document is a reference for users who already have experience programming applications in C or C++. Users new to C or C++ can still use this document to find information on the language and features unique to ILE C/C++; however, this reference does not aim to teach programming concepts nor to promote specific programming practices.
The focus of this book is on the fundamentals and intricacies of the C and C++ languages. The availability of a particular language feature at a particular language level is controlled by compiler options. Comprehensive coverage of the possibilities offered by the compiler options is available in ILE C/C++ Compiler Reference.
The depth of coverage assumes some previous experience with C or another programming language. The intent is to present the syntax and semantics of each language implementation to help you write good programs. The compiler does not enforce certain conventions of programming style, even though they lead to well-ordered programs.
A program that conforms strictly to its language specification will have maximum portability among different environments. In theory, a program that compiles correctly with one standards-conforming compiler will compile and execute correctly under all other conforming compilers, insofar as hardware differences permit. A program that correctly exploits the extensions to the language that are provided by the language implementation can improve the efficiency of its object code.