CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++c
user2793162
user2793162

Reputation:

Single header which includes other headers

Recently, I encountered such approach of managing headers. Could not find much info on its problems on internet, so decided to ask here.

Imagine you have a program where you have main.c, and also other sources and headers like: person.c, person.h, settings.c, settings.h, maindialog.c, maindialog.h, othersource.c, othersource.h

sometimes settings.c might need person.c and main maindialog.c.

Sometimes some other source might need to include other source files. Typically one would do inside settings.c:

//settings.c
#include "person.h"
#include "maindialog.h"

But, I encountered approach where one has global.h and inside it:

//global.h
//all headers we need
#include "person.h"
#include "maindialog.h"
#include "settings.h"
#include "otherdialog.h"

Now, from each other source file you only have to include "global.h" and you are done, you get functionality from respective source files. Does this approach with one global.h header has some real problems?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 299

Answers (2)

bobah
bobah

Reputation: 18864

This is to please both pedantic purists and lazy minimalists. If all sub-headers are done the correct way there is no functional harm including them via global.h, only possible compile time increase.

Subheader would be somewhat like

#ifndef unique_token
#define unique_token
#pragma once

// the useful payload

#endif

Upvotes: 3

SHR
SHR

Reputation: 8333

If there are common headers that all the source files need, (like config.h) you can do so. (but use it like precompiled headers...)

But by including unnecessary headers, you actually increasing the compilation time. so if you have a really big project and for every source file you including all the headers, compilation time can be very long...

I suggest not include headers unless you must. Even if you use type, but only for pointer or reference (especially in headers), prefer to use fwd declaration instead of include.

Upvotes: 0

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