Concept checking: Binding parametric polymorphism in C

Abstract. Generic programming in C++ is characterized by the use of template parameters to represent abstract data types (or “concepts”). However, the C++ language itself does not provide a mechanism for explicitly handling concepts. As a result, it can be difficult to insure that a concrete type meets the requirements of the concept it is supposed to represent. Error messages resulting from incorrect use of a concrete type can be particularly difficult to decipher. In this paper we present techniques to check parameters in generic C++ libraries. Our techniques use standard C++ and introduce no run-time overhead.