Is Combining All .cpp Files into a Single Compilation Unit a Wise Approach for C Projects?

Potential Benefits and Pitfalls of Including All .cpp Files in a Single Compilation Unit

In certain Visual Studio C projects, a peculiar approach has emerged: incorporating a single ALL.cpp to include all other .cpp files. This technique, leading to designated 'Release All' and 'Debug All' configurations, raises questions about its practicality.

Benefits:

• Swift compilation: The compiler only performs the time-consuming read-in and compilation process once, reducing build time.
• Fast linking: The singular compilation unit simplifies linking, further accelerating the build process.

Pitfalls:

• Difficulty in maintenance: Managing a single, massive code file can become unwieldy, potentially hindering code readability and flexibility.
• Anonymous namespace accessibility: Including all .cpp files in a single unit eliminates their intended isolation within their respective files, allowing their contents to be accessible across all other .cpps.
• Namespace collisions: If different .cpp files use the same namespace, potential conflicts arise, requiring careful attention to namespace usage.
• Reduced incremental buildability: Changes to a single .cpp file necessitate recompilation of the entire ALL.cpp, slowing down incremental development cycles.

While unity builds excel in large-scale, stable builds, their drawbacks can limit their usefulness in incremental development environments where code changes are frequent. It's essential to weigh the benefits against the pitfalls to determine if this approach is optimal for a particular project.

Additional Insights:

• Bruce Dawson provides an in-depth analysis of this topic on his blog: http://randomascii.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/make-vc-compiles-fast-through-parallel-compilation/
• For further information, consult: http://buffered.io/posts/the-magic-of-unity-builds/

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