#C++ Immutable String This repo contains the source and tests for an immutable string class in C++. The class is designed to follow the interface of std::basic_string where possible, and otherwise implements reasonable alternatives to provide maximum functionality.

What is an immutable string?

An immutable string is a string that cannot be modified once the initialization has completed. The class guarantees that the string value will not change. Ever.

Any attempt to modify a string will create a new string with the resulting value, and the existing string will remain in tact.

For example,

immutable_string hello("Hello");
auto hello_world = hello.append(", World!");

assert(hello == "Hello");
assert(hello_world == "Hello, World!");

An attempt to assign a value to an immutable string will fail:

immutable_string message("Hello");
message = "Goodbye";    // compiler error

##Interface The interface follows the C++11 std::basic_string as closely as possible. Some differences to note:

• append() functions return a new immutable_string object rather than a reference to the modified this object
• construction from std::basic_string
• a new constructor taking a single character
• comparison with std::string aswell as other immutable_string objects, and character pointers
• a member function mutable_string() returns a std::string object with a copy of the string data

These functions are not implemented because they don't make sense with immutables ###Capacity resize() reserve() clear() shrink_to_fit

###Element access reference operator[] (size_type pos); reference at (size_type pos); charT &back(); charT &front();

###Modifiers operator+= push_back assign swap pop_back

free functions

swap
operator>>
getline

##License - MIT Copyright (c) 2013 Craig Henderson

https://github.com/cdmh/cpp_immutable_string

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.