Chapter 107: Pimpl Idiom

Section 107.1: Basic Pimpl idiom

Version ≥ C++11

In the header file:

// widget.h

#include <memory> // std::unique_ptr #include <experimental/propagate_const>

class Widget

{

public: Widget(); ~Widget();

void DoSomething();

private:

//the pImpl idiom is named after the typical variable name used

//ie, pImpl:

struct Impl; // forward declaration std::experimental::propagate_const<std::unique_ptr< Impl >> pImpl; // ptr to actual

implementation };

In the implementation file:

// widget.cpp

#include "widget.h"

#include "reallycomplextype.h" // no need to include this header inside widget.h

struct Widget::Impl

{

// the attributes needed from Widget go here ReallyComplexType rct;

};

Widget::Widget() : pImpl(std::make_unique<Impl>())

{}

Widget::~Widget() = default;

void Widget::DoSomething()

{

// do the stuff here with pImpl

}

The pImpl contains the Widget state (or some/most of it). Instead of the Widget description of state being exposed

in the header file, it can be only exposed within the implementation.

pImpl stands for "pointer to implementation". The "real" implementation of Widget is in the pImpl.

Danger: Note that for this to work with unique_ptr, ~Widget() must be implemented at a point in a file where the

Impl is fully visible. You can =default it there, but if =default where Impl is undefined, the program may easily become ill-formed, no diagnostic required.