How do I implement PIMPL idiom for ABI stability?

The PIMPL (Pointer to Implementation) idiom is a design pattern used in C++ to achieve ABI (Application Binary Interface) stability. By separating the implementation details from the interface, the PIMPL idiom allows you to change the internal structure of a class without affecting the compiled interface, which is particularly useful for maintaining binary compatibility in large projects.

Here’s a simple example of how to implement the PIMPL idiom:


        // Example of PIMPL idiom implementation in C++
        
        // MyClass.h
        #ifndef MYCLASS_H
        #define MYCLASS_H
        
        class MyClassImpl; // Forward declaration
        
        class MyClass {
        public:
            MyClass();
            ~MyClass();
            void doSomething();
        
        private:
            MyClassImpl* pImpl; // Pointer to implementation
        };
        
        #endif // MYCLASS_H
        
        // MyClass.cpp
        #include "MyClass.h"
        #include 
        
        class MyClassImpl {
        public:
            void doSomething() {
                std::cout << "Doing something!" << std::endl;
            }
        };
        
        MyClass::MyClass() : pImpl(new MyClassImpl()) {}
        
        MyClass::~MyClass() {
            delete pImpl;
        }
        
        void MyClass::doSomething() {
            pImpl->doSomething();
        }

How do I implement PIMPL idiom for ABI stability?

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How do I implement PIMPL idiom for ABI stability?

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