alt Hacker NewsStroustrup recommends int over unsigned. Dijkstra recommends int over unsigned. Google coding guidelines recommend int over unsigned.
Blogger recommends unsigned over int.
Tough choice.
Replies
Commenter implies authority dictates strategy.
We should be engaging with the article's content.
ClickHouse code style recommends unsigned in every case when you don't need the sign: https://clickhouse.com/docs/development/style
signed overflow (or underflow) is frequently undefined behavior. (often because it's undefined in C)
unsigned is frequently defined. (often because it's defined in C)
tough choice.
(honestly I just lean towards "over/underflow should raise unless explicitly allowed", the ratio of unintended to intended-and-fully-checked overflow behavior is almost certainly FAR beyond 100:1)
I liked how the discussion of 'delta = x - y' moved right on to how really you usually want delta = abs(x - y), so let's talk about that instead...
Even beyond Stroustrup, Dijkstra, and Google, this whole panel of C++ luminaries agrees to prefer signed types and explains pretty clearly why:
- 12:12-13:08 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puio5dly9N8#t=12m12s
- 42:40-45:26 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puio5dly9N8#t=42m40s
- 1:02:50-1:03:15 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puio5dly9N8#t=1h2m50s