cpp-modernize

Load when modernizing, migrating, or upgrading C++ code from older standards (C++98/03/11/14) to modern C++ (17/20/23), or when applying systematic code improvements that preserve behavior.

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C++ Modernize Skill

Use this skill for C++ modernization, migration, and systematic refactoring.

Critical Rule

Do not modernize code before preserving behavior.

Separate changes into:

Safety fixes (do first)
Behavior-preserving refactors
Style improvements (do last)
Performance changes (measure before and after)

Never mix safety-critical changes with large style rewrites.

Before Starting

Confirm tests exist and pass.
Identify the current C++ standard.
Check build system and compiler flags.
Check for -fno-exceptions or other constraints.
Identify ABI boundaries that must not change.

Common Modernization Paths

From	To	Risk
Raw `new`/`delete`	RAII / smart pointers	Medium (classify ownership first)
Raw loops	Algorithms / ranges	Low (verify behavior)
`NULL`	`nullptr`	Low
`typedef`	`using`	Low
Manual resource management	RAII wrappers	Medium (check move semantics)
C-style arrays	`std::array` / `std::vector`	Medium (check sizeof, pointer arithmetic)
`boost::optional`	`std::optional`	Low (check API compatibility)
SFINAE	Concepts	Low (C++20+)

Gotchas

Do not replace legacy code that works without tests.
Do not change public ABI without a migration plan.
auto can hide surprising type deductions.
std::string_view does not own — check lifetime.
Modern does not always mean better for embedded/constrained environments.

Repository: zhxc372/cpp-ai-constitution
Path: .opencode/skills/cpp-modernize/SKILL.md
Commit: f7ba39e

Last updated: 2 days ago
First committed: 3 months ago

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