Demystifying CRTP in C++: What, Why, and How

Hello, C++ enthusiasts! 🎉

After a long stretch of planning and work, I’m thrilled to share my latest video with you, where I dive into one of the more unique patterns in C++: the Curiously Recurring Template Pattern (CRTP).

This pattern has a bit of a mysterious name, and it often leaves developers scratching their heads – I know, because I heard the same question over and over at CppCon!

In this post (and the video), I'll address the most common questions:

• What exactly is CRTP?

• Why should we use it?

• And, most importantly, how do we implement it?

Let’s break it down.

What is CRTP?

The Curiously Recurring Template Pattern is a form of static polymorphism where a derived class is templated on itself and inherits from this template. It’s a design pattern that gives us powerful flexibility, especially when we want to avoid runtime polymorphism (i.e., virtual functions).

Think of it like giving our code a blueprint to optimize certain behaviors at compile time, instead of relying on traditional inheritance-based polymorphism.

Why Use CRTP?

CRTP allows for efficient code reuse, enforces certain behaviors in derived classes, and helps in scenarios where performance is critical. Some common use cases include:

• Implementing functionality that should only be accessible by derived classes.

• Avoiding the overhead of virtual tables by using static polymorphism.

• Adding behavior or properties to derived classes without impacting runtime performance.

Watch the Full Walkthrough!

CRTP can feel a little intimidating at first, but it’s an incredibly powerful pattern once you get the hang of it. I hope this video makes things clearer and helps you feel more confident applying CRTP in your own projects!

Let me know what you think – happy coding! 🚀

#CPlusPlus #CRTP #Templates #CppCon #CodingPatterns