An Empirical Evaluation Of C++ Generic Programming For Reducing Code Duplication

Mohammad Bani Younes; Issa Alsmadi; Njood Aljarrah; Razan Obeidat; Mohamed S. Sawah

doi:10.29284/sf7m6w45

Authors

Mohammad Bani Younes Computer Science, Information Technology, Ajloun National University, Ajloun, Jordan, (corresponding author)
Issa Alsmadi Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, Ajloun National University, Ajloun, Jordan
Njood Aljarrah Computer Science, Information Technology, Ajloun National University, Ajloun, Jordan
Razan Obeidat Software Engineering, Information Technology, Ajloun National University, Ajloun, Jordan
Mohamed S. Sawah Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Information Technology, Ajloun National University, P.O.43, Ajloun 26810, Jordan. Department of Information Systems, Al-Alson Higher Institute, Cairo, Egypt.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29284/sf7m6w45

Keywords:

C++, Code Reusability, Template Programming, Generic Programming, Function Templates, Class Templates, Standard Template Library (STL), Compile-Time Polymorphism, Template Metaprogramming.

Abstract

Code reusability is essential for building maintainable and scalable software, yet in C++, it must be achieved without compromising type safety or runtime efficiency. This study empirically evaluates C++ generic programming covering function and class templates, variadic templates, and template metaprogramming using STL-inspired design patterns, open-source project case studies, and controlled benchmarks. The results show that template-based designs reduce code duplication by 20–60% while generally maintaining performance comparable to that of inheritance-based alternatives. However, the analysis also reveals measurable engineering costs in template-heavy modules, including increased compilation time (15–30%) and binary size (5–20%) as instantiation counts proliferate. To address these usability and maintenance challenges, we evaluate C++20 Concepts, which improve interface clarity and reduce the length of template-related diagnostic messages by approximately 40%. Overall, the findings provide actionable guidance for adopting templates in large-scale systems by balancing reuse gains against performance, maintainability, and build-time constraints. These findings offer actionable guidance for adopting templates in large-scale C++ systems by balancing reuse gains against compilation and binary-size costs, supported by constrained designs such as C++20 Concepts.

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