I'm starting several mixed projects in C and C++ and I'm looking for an overview on how to organize the code and the development process. What folder structures do you find the clearest? Do you prefer using a specific build system or custom scripts? I'm interested in best practices for memory management, header usage, unit testing, and code review. I'd also like to know how you balance portability across different platforms and what versioning policies facilitate teamwork. I'd appreciate any recommendations or experiences you can share.
General tips for structuring C and C++ projects: best practices and workflow
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In my workflow, I clearly separate C and C++ source code into two trees under `src/`, with subfolders `c/` and `cpp/`; headers go into `include/` with the same hierarchy (e.g., `include/project/module.h`). Test files reside in `tests/` and use CMake as the build system because it allows combining both languages, defining compiler options per platform, and generating targets for unit tests with GoogleTest or Catch2.
For memory management, I adopt RAII in C++ (classes that encapsulate resources), and in C, I create wrappers like `mem_alloc()`/`mem_free()` to centralize logic and make leak detection easier with tools like Valgrind. Headers never include implementations and always use guards (`#pragma once` or `#ifndef…`).
Regarding portability, I keep platform-specific files in folders like `platform/linux/` and `platform/windows/`, using preprocessor macros (`#if defined(_WIN32)`) to select the appropriate implementation. CI tests run on major OSes via GitHub Actions, which forces me to keep the code free of proprietary dependencies.
For version control, I use Git Flow: `develop` for continuous integration, `feature/*` for new features, and `release/*` for preparations. Pull requests are reviewed by at least one approver, and tests run automatically before merging.
These practices have helped me maintain mixed projects in an organized and collaborative way.
I organize my project with `src/` for C/C++ code, `include/` for headers, and `tests/` for unit tests; I use CMake because it generates the necessary Makefiles and makes portability between Windows and Linux easier. Additionally, I always include include guards and manage memory with RAII in C++ or safe wrappers in C, and I review changes via pull requests in Git. This keeps the repository clean and teamwork smoother.