Should modern C++ code prefer exceptions over traditional error‑code returns for robust error handling?

28 Eki 21:45

In C++ the age‑old debate between using exceptions and returning error codes resurfaces with each new language revision. Proponents of exceptions argue they provide clear separation of error handling from business logic, enable stack unwinding, and work nicely with RAII. Critics point out potential runtime overhead, nondeterministic performance, and difficulties integrating with C APIs or low‑level code. With modern compilers optimizing away most costs, the line blurs, yet many codebases still enforce strict no‑exception policies. How do you decide which approach fits a project? What guidelines do you follow to keep error handling both safe and efficient? Looking forward to your experiences.