{"id":246861,"date":"2024-01-30T08:18:33","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T16:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/visualstudio\/?p=246861"},"modified":"2024-02-12T08:01:59","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T16:01:59","slug":"a-year-of-cpp-improvements-in-visual-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/visualstudio\/a-year-of-cpp-improvements-in-visual-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"A Year of C++ Improvements in Visual Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we enter the new year, it\u2019s a good time to look back at all the features and improvements we made for C++ developers in Visual Studio in 2023. We\u2019ve made advancements across the IDE, toolchain, and the vcpkg package manager in both performance and functionality. Some focus areas have been ARM64 support, Unreal Engine development, code safety, and cross-platform development. Let us know what you think of these features below, send us your feedback!<\/a><\/p>\n

Contents<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cross-Platform<\/a><\/td>\n\n
Productivity<\/a><\/td>\n\n
Game Development<\/a><\/td>\n\n
IDE Performance<\/a><\/td>\nIDE Performance<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Toolchain<\/a><\/td>\n\n
vcpkg<\/a><\/td>\nvcpkg<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>Visual Studio IDE<\/h2>\n

<\/a>Cross-Platform<\/h2>\n

Cross-platform development is a first-class citizen in Visual Studio and has been for many years now. We\u2019ve added many new features for those targeting Linux, Windows Subsystem for Linux<\/a>, embedded platforms, and those using CMake for their builds.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Integrated Linux Terminal<\/h3>\n

The Linux Integrated Terminal<\/a> allows you to debug Linux applications with a fully-featured terminal experience directly inside Visual Studio.<\/p>\n

\"Linux<\/p>\n

<\/a>Test and Build Multiple CMake Targets<\/h3>\n

You can now test and build multiple CMake Targets from the CMake Targets view.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>CMake Debugger<\/h3>\n

Use the CMake Debugger<\/a> to debug your CMake scripts like you would any other program. You can set breakpoints, see the values of CMake variables at the current point of execution, and more.<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

<\/a>Remote File Explorer<\/h3>\n

Use the Remote File Explorer<\/a> to see a directory tree of the files on a remote system.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

<\/a>STM32CubeIDE Project Support<\/h3>\n

Import STM32CubeIDE projects with the new STM32CubeIDE Project Support<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"File<\/p>\n

<\/a>Automatic Windows Subsystem for Linux Installation<\/h3>\n

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux automatically from Visual Studio with \u201cInstall WSL for Me\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

<\/a>Remote Linux Unit Test Support<\/h3>\n

Remote Linux unit test support<\/a> adds your remote Linux tests to the Test Explorer.<\/p>\n

\"View<\/p>\n

<\/a>Productivity<\/h2>\n

We want your development to be as fast and low-friction as possible. Our productivity features address this, giving you better ways to complete your day-to-day tasks.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Sticky Scroll<\/h3>\n

Sticky Scroll<\/a> gives you context for the current code location in your editor by sticking the top line of nested blocks to the top of the window.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

<\/a>Brace Pair Colorization<\/h3>\n

Brace Pair Colorization<\/a> lets you easily see matching brace pairs by making them the same color.<\/p>\n

\"C++<\/p>\n

<\/a>Spell Checker<\/h3>\n

The new Spell Checker<\/a> finds and corrects spelling issues in your code.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>All-in-one Search<\/h3>\n

All-in-one Search<\/a> joints together the code search and feature search functions into one tool.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Breakpoint Groups<\/h3>\n

Breakpoint groups<\/a> let you organize breakpoints to make large collections easier to manage.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>File Comparison Window<\/h3>\n

You can now compare files straight from the solution explorer with the File Comparison window<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Copy-paste with Correct Indentation<\/h3>\n

Copy-paste with correct indentation<\/a> makes it easier to accurately share code with others.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Parallel Stack Filtering<\/h3>\n

Parallel stack filtering<\/a> lets you selectively display or hide specific threads or frames.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/a>Doxygen for Overloaded Functions<\/h3>\n

We improved Doxygen behaviour for overload resolution.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

<\/a>Macro Expansion Visualization<\/h3>\n

You can now see macro expansions step-by-step with Macro Expansion Visualization<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/a>Create GitHub Pull Request from Visual Studio<\/h3>\n

You can now create GitHub pull requests from Visual Studio<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Structured Diagnostics<\/h3>\n

Visualize complex, hierarchical compiler errors with structured diagnostics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Size and Alignment of Types<\/h3>\n

See size and alignment of types<\/a> directly in the editor.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Memory Layout Visualization<\/h3>\n

Use our new memory layout visualization<\/a> tool for seeing how types will be stored in memory.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Include Cleanup<\/h3>\n

Optimize your #includes with #include directive cleanup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Game Development<\/h2>\n

Game development is a key area of focus for us, as game developers often have constraints and workflows which other C++ developers do not. Last year we focused especially on our Unreal Engine support.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Blueprint References and Asset Inspector<\/h3>\n

Navigate your Unreal Engine Blueprints with the new Unreal Engine Blueprint References and Asset Inspector<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Log Viewer<\/h3>\n

Use the Unreal Engine Log Viewer<\/a> to see your UE logs directly in Visual Studio.<\/p>\n

\"Unreal<\/p>\n

<\/a>HLSL Support<\/h3>\n

Edit HLSL shaders with improved HLSL editor integration<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"HLSL<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Macro Formatting<\/h3>\n

Unreal Engine macro formatting<\/a> ensures that your UE macros are handled appropriately by the autoformatter.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Naming Convention Checker<\/h3>\n

Use the Unreal Engine naming convention checker<\/a> to ensure your code conforms to expectations.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Blueprint Find All References<\/h3>\n

Find all UE Blueprint references with a single command using Unreal Engine Blueprint Find All References.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Test Adapter<\/h3>\n

The Unreal Engine test adapter<\/a> adds your UE tests to the Test Explorer window.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Code Snippets<\/h3>\n

Use Unreal Engine code snippets<\/a> to quickly generate common UE-specific code.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Unreal Engine Macro Specifier Suggestions<\/h3>\n

Unreal Engine macro specifier suggestions<\/a> gives you a quick description of UE macros without you having to leave your editor.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

<\/a>Build Insights<\/h2>\n

C++ Build Insights<\/a> is a collection of tools that collect data about your C++ builds and present it in a format that can help you answer common questions, like:<\/p>\n