It would be nice if there were publicly visible headers analogous to <iosfwd>
for <string> and all the STL headers. To be more concrete: for every STL
header <container> there should be a <gnu/containerfwd> that contains *only*
forward declarations of the types with complete declarations in <container>.
The existing <bits/stringfwd.h> is an example of exactly what I have in mind,
and should be promoted to <gnu/stringfwd>.
The value of these headers would be primarily in writing application headers;
it is common to need to include <string> or <map> or whatever solely to be able
to refer to the types it defines in function prototypes. By providing
forward-declaration headers, the application headers would not need to drag in
the full text of the STL headers. Application source files could then include
the complete-declaration headers only for the types they actually used.
--
Summary: Extension request: publicly visible forward-declaration
headers for <string> and all STL containers
Product: gcc
Version: unknown
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Severity: enhancement
Priority: P3
Component: libstdc++
AssignedTo: unassigned at gcc dot gnu dot org
ReportedBy: zackw at panix dot com
http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=31464
