Extensions to the C++ Language

The GNU compiler provides these extensions to the C++ language (and you can also use most of the C language extensions in your C++ programs). If you want to write code that checks whether these features are available, you can test for the GNU compiler the same way as for C programs: check for a predefined macro __GNUC__. You can also use __GNUG__ to test specifically for GNU C++ (see section `Standard Predefined Macros' in The C Preprocessor).

• Naming Results: Giving a name to C++ function return values.
• Min and Max: C++ Minimum and maximum operators.
• Destructors and Goto: Goto is safe to use in C++ even when destructors are needed.
• C++ Interface: You can use a single C++ header file for both declarations and definitions.
• Template Instantiation: Methods for ensuring that exactly one copy of each needed template instantiation is emitted.
• C++ Signatures: You can specify abstract types to get subtype polymorphism independent from inheritance.

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