C++, RAII, and the GSL Refresher

In this chapter, we will provide an overview of some of the recent advancements of C++ that are leveraged in this book. We will start by providing an overview of the changes made to C++ in the C++17 specification. We will then briefly cover a C++ design pattern called Resource Acquisition Is Initialization (RAII), how it is used by C++, and why it is so important to not only C++ but many other languages that leverage the same design pattern. This chapter will conclude with an introduction to the Guideline Support Library (GSL) and how it can help to increase the reliability and stability of system programming by helping to adhere to the C++ Core Guidelines. 

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• Discussing the advancements made in C++17
• Outlining RAII
• Introducing the GSL