Introducing a Memory-Safe Successor Language in Large C++ Code Bases
Explore the challenges and solutions of introducing a memory-safe successor language in large C++ code bases in this conference talk from CppNow 2023. Delve into the limitations of incrementally improving C++ and the advantages of adopting a new language like Swift. Learn about Swift's design aspects that make it suitable for integration into existing code bases, its C++ interoperability features, and the lessons learned from rolling out a memory-safe language in a large software ecosystem. Gain insights into key concepts such as uninitialized memory, integer overflow, pointer safety, and Swift's approach to local variables, types, undefined behavior, generic functions, exceptions, and concurrency. Discover strategies for incremental adoption, refactoring, and managing team psychology when transitioning to a memory-safe language.