The C++ Core Guidelines provide established guidance for writing safer and simpler C++ programs.
C++ Core Guidelines
The C++ Core Guidelines are a set of guidelines for writing C++ programs, edited by Bjarne Stroustrup and Herb Sutter.

About C++ Core Guidelines
The C++ Core Guidelines is a set of guidelines for using C++ well, edited by Bjarne Stroustrup and Herb Sutter. It focuses on high-level topics such as interfaces, resource management, memory management, and concurrency, covering modern C++ described as C++20 with most recommendations also applying to C++17, C++14 and C++11.
It is a living document under continuous improvement. The source states the rules have not been completely checked for completeness, consistency, or enforceability, and that known missing information is marked with ???.
Key features
- Rules for interfaces, functions, classes and class hierarchies
- Guidance on resource management, memory management and concurrency
- Recommendations for error handling, templates and standard library use
- Sections on expressions, statements, performance, constants and immutability
- Advice on C-style programming, source files and enumerations
- Rules browsable by language feature such as constructors and lambdas
- Covers high-level issues such as interfaces and resource management
- Most recommendations apply to C++11 through C++20
- Use, copying, modification and derivative works under MIT-style license
- Rules have not been completely checked for completeness, consistency, or enforceability
- Contains known missing information marked with ???
- Many pre-C++11 reference sources are noted as too old
C++ Core Guidelines at a glance
- Category
- Education & Learning › Learn to Code
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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