Exceptions vs. error returns, quantified

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Today I got into a discussion regarding embedded programmers and their tendency to avoid exceptions in C++ (even after moving to new-school “embedded” systems such as smartphones, game consoles, and set-top boxes). The argument basically boils down to three things: code size, memory usage, and execution speed. So, rather than continue on without actually putting my beliefs to the test (the discussion basically centered around whether engineers are making assumptions based on how things were 15+ years ago), I decided to construct a minimal test which I think shows where the tradeoffs may be.

Note: The timing and memory analysis has been updated as of May 24, 2018.

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