Implementing C++ Reflection Using New C++20 Tooling Opportunity: Modules - Maiko Steeman CppCon 2024

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Implementing C++ Reflection Using the New C++20 Tooling Opportunity: Modules - Maiko Steeman - CppCon 2024
Slides: https://github.com/CppCon/CppCon2024/blob/main/Presentations/Implementing_Reflection_using_the_new_Cpp20_Tooling_Opportunity.pdf

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Code reflection is an extremely valuable feature for many areas in programming. By allowing you to reason about code as data. Reflection can be used for e.g. Serialization, Networking and content editors.

However, since reflection is not a C++ language feature yet. I will use a new tooling opportunity: ".ifc" Binary Module Interface files to implement a reflection library. Made possible by Gabriel Dos Reis‘s efforts to open source the specification of MSVC’s Binary Module Interface https://github.com/microsoft/ifc-spec.

This approach solves issues of current C++ reflection libraries. Which either rely on manual typeinfo registration, leading to constant work to keep them in sync. Or parsing C++ source code which is slow and needs deep integration into your desired build system.

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Maiko Steeman graduated from Breda University of Applied Sciences with a focus on Game Engine and Tools Programming. Since graduating Maiko worked as a Tools Programmer at Creative Assembly, and has since moved to Guerrilla working on content creation tools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAKA5ozAIiA