C++ builds can be made bearable if you don't go crazy with template meta-programming, do forward declarations, only expose actually public data on the headers, instantiate most use templates.
But specially do use binary libraries, even across application modules. Don't spend endless time recompiling code that doesn't change.
> C++ builds can be made bearable if you don't go crazy with template meta-programming, do forward declarations, only expose actually public data on the headers, instantiate most use templates.
Exactly. E.g. QT based applications (which rely on object orientation, inheritance and virtual methods) compile reasonably fast. However the template oriented style (e.g. found in boost libraries) can increase compile times A LOT. I had more than factor 10 for one of my libraries that I ported from having boost as a dependency to QT. Although the template oriented style might really work faster at runtime, because there's less need for virtual function calls and other indirections.
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2016/10/05/faster-c-...
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2016/10/26/recommend...
https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Connect/2016?sort=status&di...
Apple is also doing a similar work regarding incremental C and C++ builds, based on the work they did for Swift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_T-eCToX1I
C++ builds can be made bearable if you don't go crazy with template meta-programming, do forward declarations, only expose actually public data on the headers, instantiate most use templates.
But specially do use binary libraries, even across application modules. Don't spend endless time recompiling code that doesn't change.