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What order should include files be specified, i.e. what are the reasons for including one header before another?
For example, do the system files, STL, and Boost go before or after the local include files?
I don't think there's a recommended order, as long as it compiles! What's annoying is when some headers require other headers to be included first... That's a problem with the headers themselves, not with the order of includes.
My personal preference is to go from local to global, each subsection in alphabetical order, i.e.:
h file corresponding to this cpp file (if applicable)
headers from the same component,
headers from other components,
system headers.
My rationale for 1. is that it should prove that each header (for which there is a cpp) can be #included without prerequisites (terminus technicus: header is "self-contained"). And the rest just seems to flow logically from there.
The big thing to keep in mind is that your headers should not be dependent upon other headers being included first. One way to insure this is to include your headers before any other headers.
"Thinking in C++" in particular mentions this, referencing Lakos' "Large Scale C++ Software Design":
Latent usage errors can be avoided by ensuring that the .h file of a component parses by itself – without externally-provided declarations or definitions... Including the .h file as the very first line of the .c file ensures that no critical piece of information intrinsic to the physical interface of the component is missing from the .h file (or, if there is, that you will find out about it as soon as you try to compile the .c file).
That is to say, include in the following order:
The prototype/interface header for this implementation (ie, the .h/.hh file that corresponds to this .cpp/.cc file).
Other headers from the same project, as needed.
Headers from other non-standard, non-system libraries (for example, Qt, Eigen, etc).
Headers from other "almost-standard" libraries (for example, Boost)
Standard C++ headers (for example, iostream, functional, etc.)
Standard C headers (for example, cstdint, dirent.h, etc.)
If any of the headers have an issue with being included in this order, either fix them (if yours) or don't use them. Boycott libraries that don't write clean headers.
Google's C++ style guide argues almost the reverse, with really no justification at all; I personally tend to favor the Lakos approach.
I follow two simple rules that avoid the vast majority of problems:
All headers (and indeed any source files) should include what they need. They should not rely on their users including things.
As an adjunct, all headers should have include guards so that they don't get included multiple times by over-ambitious application of rule 1 above.
I also follow the guidelines of:
Include system headers first (stdio.h, etc) with a dividing line.
Group them logically.
In other words:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include "btree.h"
#include "collect_hash.h"
#include "collect_arraylist.h"
#include "globals.h"
Although, being guidelines, that's a subjective thing. The rules on the other hand, I enforce rigidly, even to the point of providing 'wrapper' header files with include guards and grouped includes if some obnoxious third-party developer doesn't subscribe to my vision :-)
To add my own brick to the wall.
Each header needs to be self-sufficient, which can only be tested if it's included first at least once
One should not mistakenly modify the meaning of a third-party header by introducing symbols (macro, types, etc.)
So I usually go like this:
// myproject/src/example.cpp
#include "myproject/example.h"
#include <algorithm>
#include <set>
#include <vector>
#include <3rdparty/foo.h>
#include <3rdparty/bar.h>
#include "myproject/another.h"
#include "myproject/specific/bla.h"
#include "detail/impl.h"
Each group separated by a blank line from the next one:
Header corresponding to this cpp file first (sanity check)
System headers
Third-party headers, organized by dependency order
Project headers
Project private headers
Also note that, apart from system headers, each file is in a folder with the name of its namespace, just because it's easier to track them down this way.
I recommend:
The header for the .cc module you're building. (Helps ensure each header in your project doesn't have implicit dependencies on other headers in your project.)
C system files.
C++ system files.
Platform / OS / other header files (e.g. win32, gtk, openGL).
Other header files from your project.
And of course, alphabetical order within each section, where possible.
Always use forward declarations to avoid unnecessary #includes in your header files.
I'm pretty sure this isn't a recommended practice anywhere in the sane world, but I like to line system includes up by filename length, sorted lexically within the same length. Like so:
#include <set>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>
I think it's a good idea to include your own headers before other peoples, to avoid the shame of include-order dependency.
This is not subjective. Make sure your headers don't rely on being #included in specific order. You can be sure it doesn't matter what order you include STL or Boost headers.
First include the header corresponding to the .cpp... in other words, source1.cpp should include source1.h before including anything else. The only exception I can think of is when using MSVC with pre-compiled headers in which case, you are forced to include stdafx.h before anything else.
Reasoning: Including the source1.h before any other files ensures that it can stand alone without it's dependencies. If source1.h takes on a dependency on a later date, the compiler will immediately alert you to add the required forward declarations to source1.h. This in turn ensures that headers can be included in any order by their dependants.
Example:
source1.h
class Class1 {
Class2 c2; // a dependency which has not been forward declared
};
source1.cpp
#include "source1.h" // now compiler will alert you saying that Class2 is undefined
// so you can forward declare Class2 within source1.h
...
MSVC users: I strongly recommend using pre-compiled headers. So, move all #include directives for standard headers (and other headers which are never going to change) to stdafx.h.
Include from the most specific to the least specific, starting with the corresponding .hpp for the .cpp, if one such exists. That way, any hidden dependencies in header files that are not self-sufficient will be revealed.
This is complicated by the use of pre-compiled headers. One way around this is, without making your project compiler-specific, is to use one of the project headers as the precompiled header include file.
Several separate considerations are conflated when deciding for a particular include order. Let try to me untangle.
1. check for self-containedness
Many answers suggest that the include order should act as a check that your headers are self-contained. That mixes up the consideration of testing and compilation
You can check separately whether your headers are self-included. That "static analysis" is independent of any compilation process. For example, run
gcc headerfile.h -fsyntax-only
Testing whether your header files are self-contained can easily be scripted/automated. Even your makefile can do that.
No offense but Lakos' book is from 1996 and putting those different concerns together sounds like 90s-style programming to me. That being said, there are ecosystems (Windows today or in the 90s?) which lack the tools for scripted/automated tests.
2. Readability
Another consideration is readability. When you look up your source file, you just want to easily see what stuff has been included. For that your personal tastes and preferences matter most, though typically you either order them from most specific to least specific or the other way around (I prefer the latter).
Within each group, I usually just include them alphabetically.
3. Does the include order matter?
If your header files are self-contained, then the include order technically shouldn't matter at all for the compilation result.
That is, unless you have (questionable?) specific design choices for your code, such as necessary macro definitions that are not automatically included. In that case, you should reconsider your program design, though it might work perfectly well for you of course.
It is a hard question in the C/C++ world, with so many elements beyond the standard.
I think header file order is not a serious problem as long as it compiles, like squelart said.
My ideas is: If there is no conflict of symbols in all those headers, any order is OK, and the header dependency issue can be fixed later by adding #include lines to the flawed .h.
The real hassle arises when some header changes its action (by checking #if conditions) according to what headers are above.
For example, in stddef.h in VS2005, there is:
#ifdef _WIN64
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)( (ptrdiff_t)&(((s *)0)->m) )
#else
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)&(((s *)0)->m)
#endif
Now the problem: If I have a custom header ("custom.h") that needs to be used with many compilers, including some older ones that don't provide offsetof in their system headers, I should write in my header:
#ifndef offsetof
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)&(((s *)0)->m)
#endif
And be sure to tell the user to #include "custom.h" after all system headers, otherwise, the line of offsetof in stddef.h will assert a macro redefinition error.
We pray not to meet any more of such cases in our career.
I got a comprehension issue about precompiled headers, and the usage of the #include directive.
So I got my "stdafx.h" here and include there for example vector, iostream and string. The associated "stdafx.cpp" only includes the "stdafx.h", that's clear.
So if I design my own header file that uses for example "code" that's in vector or iostream, I have to include the header file because the compiler doesn't know the declarations at that time. So why are some posts here (include stdafx.h in header or source file?) saying, it's not good to include the "stdafx.h" in other header files even if this file includes the needed declarations of e.g. vectors? So basically it wouldn't matter to include directly a vector or the precompiled header file, both do the same thing.
I know of course, that I don't have to include a header file in another header file if the associated source file includes the needed header file, because the declarations are known at that time. Well, that only works if the header file is included somewhere.
So my question is: Should I avoid including the precompiled header file in any source file and why? And I am a bit confused, because I'm reading contradictory expressions on the web that I shouldn't include anything in header files anyway, or is it O.K. to include in header files?
So what's right now?
This will be a bit of a blanket statement with intent. The typical setup for PCH in a Visual Studio project follows this general design, and is worth reviewing. That said:
Design your header files as if there is no PCH master-header.
Never build include-order dependencies in your headers that you expect the including source files will fulfill prior to your headers.
The PCH master-header notwithstanding (I'll get to that in a moment), always include your custom headers before standard headers in your source files. This makes your custom header is more likely to be properly defined and not reliant on the including source file's previous inclusion of some standard header file.
Always set up appropriate include guards or pragmas to avoid multiple inclusion. They're critical for this to work correctly.
The PCH master-header is not to be included in your header files. When designing your headers, do so with the intent that everything needed (and only that which is needed) by the header to compile is included. If an including source file needs additional includes for its implementation, it can pull them in as needed after your header.
The following is an example of how I would setup a project that uses multiple standard headers in both the .h and .cpp files.
myobject.h
#ifndef MYAPP_MYOBJECT_H
#define MYAPP_MYOBJECT_H
// we're using std::map and std::string here, so..
#include <map>
#include <string>
class MyObject
{
// some code
private:
std::map<std::string, unsigned int> mymap;
};
#endif
Note the above header should compile in whatever .cpp it is included, with or without PCH being used. On to the source file...
myobject.cpp
// apart from myobject.h, we also need some other standard stuff...
#include "myobject.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <numeric>
// code, etc...
Note myobject.h does not expect you to include something it relies on. It isn't using <iostream> or <algorithm>, etc. in the header; we're using it here.
That is a typical setup with no PCH. Now we add the PCH master
Adding the PCH Master Header
So how do we set up the PCH master-header to turbo-charge this thing? For the sake of this answer, I'm only dealing with pulling in standard headers and 3rd-party library headers that will not undergo change with the project development. You're not going to be editing <map> or <iostream> (and if you are, get your head examined). Anyway...
See this answer for how a PCH is typically configured in Visual Studio. It shows how one file (usually stdafx.cpp) is responsible for generating the PCH, the rest of your source files then use said-PCH by including stdafx.h.
Decide what goes in the PCH. As a general rule, that is how your PCH should be configured. Put non-volatile stuff in there, and leave the rest for the regular source includes. We're using a number of system headers, and those are going to be our choices for our PCH master.
Ensure each source file participating in the PCH turbo-mode is including the PCH master-header first, as described in the linked answer from (1).
So, first, the PCH master header:
stdafx.h
#ifndef MYAPP_STDAFX_H
#define MYAPP_STDAFX_H
// MS has other stuff here. keep what is needed
#include <algorithm>
#include <numeric>
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <map>
#include <string>
#endif
Finally, the source files configured to use this then do this. The minimal change needed is:
UPDATED: myobject.cpp
#include "stdafx.h" // <=== only addition
#include "myobject.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <numeric>
// code, etc...
Note I said minimal. In reality, none of those standard headers need appear in the .cpp anymore, as the PCH master is pulling them in. In other words, you can do this:
UPDATED: myobject.cpp
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "myobject.h"
// code, etc...
Whether you choose to or not is up to you. I prefer to keep them. Yes, it can lengthen the preprocessor phase for the source file as it pulls in the headers, runs into the include-guards, and throws everything away until the final #endif. If your platform supports #pragma once (and VS does) that becomes a near no-op.
But make no mistake: The most important part of all of this is the header myobject.h was not changed at all, and does not include, or know about, the PCH master header. It shouldn't have to, and should not be built so it has to.
Precompiled headers are a method to shorten the build time. The idea is that the compiler could "precompile" declarations and definitions in the header and not have to parse them again.
With the speed of todays computers, the precompilation is only significant for huge projects. These are projects with a minimum of over 50k lines of code. The definition of "signification" is usually tens of minutes to build.
There are many issues surrounding Microsoft's stdafx.h. In my experience, the effort and time spent with discovering and resolving the issues, makes this feature more of a hassle for smaller project sizes. I have my build set up so most of the time, I am compiling only a few files; the files that don't change are not compiled. Thus, I don't see any huge impact or benefit to the precompiled header.
When using the precompiled header feature, every .cpp file must begin by including the stdafx.h header. If it does not, a compiler error results. So there is no point in putting the include in some header file. That header file cannot be included unless the stdafx.h has already been included first.
Recently, I encountered such approach of managing headers. Could not find much info on its problems on internet, so decided to ask here.
Imagine you have a program where you have main.c, and also other sources and headers like: person.c, person.h, settings.c, settings.h, maindialog.c, maindialog.h, othersource.c, othersource.h
sometimes settings.c might need person.c and main maindialog.c.
Sometimes some other source might need to include other source files.
Typically one would do inside settings.c:
//settings.c
#include "person.h"
#include "maindialog.h"
But, I encountered approach where one has global.h and inside it:
//global.h
//all headers we need
#include "person.h"
#include "maindialog.h"
#include "settings.h"
#include "otherdialog.h"
Now, from each other source file you only have to include "global.h"
and you are done, you get functionality from respective source files.
Does this approach with one global.h header has some real problems?
This is to please both pedantic purists and lazy minimalists. If all sub-headers are done the correct way there is no functional harm including them via global.h, only possible compile time increase.
Subheader would be somewhat like
#ifndef unique_token
#define unique_token
#pragma once
// the useful payload
#endif
If there are common headers that all the source files need, (like config.h) you can do so. (but use it like precompiled headers...)
But by including unnecessary headers, you actually increasing the compilation time. so if you have a really big project and for every source file you including all the headers, compilation time can be very long...
I suggest not include headers unless you must.
Even if you use type, but only for pointer or reference (especially in headers), prefer to use fwd declaration instead of include.
What order should include files be specified, i.e. what are the reasons for including one header before another?
For example, do the system files, STL, and Boost go before or after the local include files?
I don't think there's a recommended order, as long as it compiles! What's annoying is when some headers require other headers to be included first... That's a problem with the headers themselves, not with the order of includes.
My personal preference is to go from local to global, each subsection in alphabetical order, i.e.:
h file corresponding to this cpp file (if applicable)
headers from the same component,
headers from other components,
system headers.
My rationale for 1. is that it should prove that each header (for which there is a cpp) can be #included without prerequisites (terminus technicus: header is "self-contained"). And the rest just seems to flow logically from there.
The big thing to keep in mind is that your headers should not be dependent upon other headers being included first. One way to insure this is to include your headers before any other headers.
"Thinking in C++" in particular mentions this, referencing Lakos' "Large Scale C++ Software Design":
Latent usage errors can be avoided by ensuring that the .h file of a component parses by itself – without externally-provided declarations or definitions... Including the .h file as the very first line of the .c file ensures that no critical piece of information intrinsic to the physical interface of the component is missing from the .h file (or, if there is, that you will find out about it as soon as you try to compile the .c file).
That is to say, include in the following order:
The prototype/interface header for this implementation (ie, the .h/.hh file that corresponds to this .cpp/.cc file).
Other headers from the same project, as needed.
Headers from other non-standard, non-system libraries (for example, Qt, Eigen, etc).
Headers from other "almost-standard" libraries (for example, Boost)
Standard C++ headers (for example, iostream, functional, etc.)
Standard C headers (for example, cstdint, dirent.h, etc.)
If any of the headers have an issue with being included in this order, either fix them (if yours) or don't use them. Boycott libraries that don't write clean headers.
Google's C++ style guide argues almost the reverse, with really no justification at all; I personally tend to favor the Lakos approach.
I follow two simple rules that avoid the vast majority of problems:
All headers (and indeed any source files) should include what they need. They should not rely on their users including things.
As an adjunct, all headers should have include guards so that they don't get included multiple times by over-ambitious application of rule 1 above.
I also follow the guidelines of:
Include system headers first (stdio.h, etc) with a dividing line.
Group them logically.
In other words:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include "btree.h"
#include "collect_hash.h"
#include "collect_arraylist.h"
#include "globals.h"
Although, being guidelines, that's a subjective thing. The rules on the other hand, I enforce rigidly, even to the point of providing 'wrapper' header files with include guards and grouped includes if some obnoxious third-party developer doesn't subscribe to my vision :-)
To add my own brick to the wall.
Each header needs to be self-sufficient, which can only be tested if it's included first at least once
One should not mistakenly modify the meaning of a third-party header by introducing symbols (macro, types, etc.)
So I usually go like this:
// myproject/src/example.cpp
#include "myproject/example.h"
#include <algorithm>
#include <set>
#include <vector>
#include <3rdparty/foo.h>
#include <3rdparty/bar.h>
#include "myproject/another.h"
#include "myproject/specific/bla.h"
#include "detail/impl.h"
Each group separated by a blank line from the next one:
Header corresponding to this cpp file first (sanity check)
System headers
Third-party headers, organized by dependency order
Project headers
Project private headers
Also note that, apart from system headers, each file is in a folder with the name of its namespace, just because it's easier to track them down this way.
I recommend:
The header for the .cc module you're building. (Helps ensure each header in your project doesn't have implicit dependencies on other headers in your project.)
C system files.
C++ system files.
Platform / OS / other header files (e.g. win32, gtk, openGL).
Other header files from your project.
And of course, alphabetical order within each section, where possible.
Always use forward declarations to avoid unnecessary #includes in your header files.
I'm pretty sure this isn't a recommended practice anywhere in the sane world, but I like to line system includes up by filename length, sorted lexically within the same length. Like so:
#include <set>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>
I think it's a good idea to include your own headers before other peoples, to avoid the shame of include-order dependency.
This is not subjective. Make sure your headers don't rely on being #included in specific order. You can be sure it doesn't matter what order you include STL or Boost headers.
First include the header corresponding to the .cpp... in other words, source1.cpp should include source1.h before including anything else. The only exception I can think of is when using MSVC with pre-compiled headers in which case, you are forced to include stdafx.h before anything else.
Reasoning: Including the source1.h before any other files ensures that it can stand alone without it's dependencies. If source1.h takes on a dependency on a later date, the compiler will immediately alert you to add the required forward declarations to source1.h. This in turn ensures that headers can be included in any order by their dependants.
Example:
source1.h
class Class1 {
Class2 c2; // a dependency which has not been forward declared
};
source1.cpp
#include "source1.h" // now compiler will alert you saying that Class2 is undefined
// so you can forward declare Class2 within source1.h
...
MSVC users: I strongly recommend using pre-compiled headers. So, move all #include directives for standard headers (and other headers which are never going to change) to stdafx.h.
Include from the most specific to the least specific, starting with the corresponding .hpp for the .cpp, if one such exists. That way, any hidden dependencies in header files that are not self-sufficient will be revealed.
This is complicated by the use of pre-compiled headers. One way around this is, without making your project compiler-specific, is to use one of the project headers as the precompiled header include file.
Several separate considerations are conflated when deciding for a particular include order. Let try to me untangle.
1. check for self-containedness
Many answers suggest that the include order should act as a check that your headers are self-contained. That mixes up the consideration of testing and compilation
You can check separately whether your headers are self-included. That "static analysis" is independent of any compilation process. For example, run
gcc headerfile.h -fsyntax-only
Testing whether your header files are self-contained can easily be scripted/automated. Even your makefile can do that.
No offense but Lakos' book is from 1996 and putting those different concerns together sounds like 90s-style programming to me. That being said, there are ecosystems (Windows today or in the 90s?) which lack the tools for scripted/automated tests.
2. Readability
Another consideration is readability. When you look up your source file, you just want to easily see what stuff has been included. For that your personal tastes and preferences matter most, though typically you either order them from most specific to least specific or the other way around (I prefer the latter).
Within each group, I usually just include them alphabetically.
3. Does the include order matter?
If your header files are self-contained, then the include order technically shouldn't matter at all for the compilation result.
That is, unless you have (questionable?) specific design choices for your code, such as necessary macro definitions that are not automatically included. In that case, you should reconsider your program design, though it might work perfectly well for you of course.
It is a hard question in the C/C++ world, with so many elements beyond the standard.
I think header file order is not a serious problem as long as it compiles, like squelart said.
My ideas is: If there is no conflict of symbols in all those headers, any order is OK, and the header dependency issue can be fixed later by adding #include lines to the flawed .h.
The real hassle arises when some header changes its action (by checking #if conditions) according to what headers are above.
For example, in stddef.h in VS2005, there is:
#ifdef _WIN64
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)( (ptrdiff_t)&(((s *)0)->m) )
#else
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)&(((s *)0)->m)
#endif
Now the problem: If I have a custom header ("custom.h") that needs to be used with many compilers, including some older ones that don't provide offsetof in their system headers, I should write in my header:
#ifndef offsetof
#define offsetof(s,m) (size_t)&(((s *)0)->m)
#endif
And be sure to tell the user to #include "custom.h" after all system headers, otherwise, the line of offsetof in stddef.h will assert a macro redefinition error.
We pray not to meet any more of such cases in our career.
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What order should headers be declared in a header / cpp file? Obviously those that are required by subsequent headers should be earlier and class specific headers should be in cpp scope not header scope, but is there a set order convention / best practice?
In a header file you have to include ALL the headers to make it compilable. And don't forget to use forward declarations instead of some headers.
In a source file:
corresponded header file
necessary project headers
3rd party libraries headers
standard libraries headers
system headers
In that order you will not miss any of your header files that forgot to include libraries by their own.
Good practice: every .h file should have a .cpp that includes that .h first before anything else. This proves that any .h file can be put first.
Even if the header requires no implementation, you make a .cpp that just includes that .h file and nothing else.
This then means that you can answer your question any way you like. It doesn't matter what order you include them in.
For further great tips, try this book: Large-Scale C++ Software Design - it's a shame it's so expensive, but it is practically a survival guide for C++ source code layout.
In header files, I tend to put standard headers first, then my own headers (both lists being ordered alphabetically). In implementation files, I put first the header corresponding (if any), then standards headers and other dependency headers.
Order is of little importance, except if you make a great use of macros and #define ; in that case, you must checked that a macro you defined doesn't replace a previously included one (except if that's what you want, of course).
Concerning this statement
those that are required by subsequent headers should be earlier
A header shouldn't rely on other headers being included before it! If it requires headers, it just includes them. Header guards will prevent multiple inclusion:
#ifndef FOO_HEADER_H
#define FOO_HEADER_H
...
#endif
EDIT
Since I wrote this answer, I changed my way of ordering the include directives in my code. Now, I try to always put headers in increasing order of standardization, so the headers of my project come first, followed by 3rd party libraries headers, followed by standard headers.
For instance, if one of my file uses a library I wrote, Qt, Boost and the standard library, I will order the includes as follow:
//foo.cpp
#include "foo.hpp"
#include <my_library.hpp>
// other headers related to my_library
#include <QtCore/qalgorithms.h>
// other Qt headers
#include <boost/format.hpp> // Boost is arguably more standard than Qt
// other boost headers
#include <algorithms>
// other standard algorithms
The reason why I do that is to detect missing dependencies in my own headers: let's assume for instance that my_library.hpp uses std::copy, but doesn't include <algorithm>. If I include it after <algorithm> in foo.cpp, this missing dependency will go unnoticed. On the contrary, with the order I just presented, the compiler will complain that std::copy has not been declared, allowing me to correct my_library.hpp.
In each "library" group, I try to keep the include directives ordered alphabetically, to find them more easily.
On a sidenote, a good practice is also to limit at a maximum the dependency between header files. Files should include as little headers as possible, especially headers file. Indeed, the more headers you include, the more code needs to be recompiled when something changes. A good way to limit these dependencies is to use forward declaration, which is very often sufficient in header files (see When can I use a forward declaration?).
Google C++ Style Guide, Names and Order of Includes :
In dir/foo.cc, whose main purpose is to implement or test the stuff in dir2/foo2.h, order your includes as follows:
dir2/foo2.h (preferred location — see details below).
C system files.
C++ system files.
Other libraries' .h files.
Your project's .h files.
I used to order them in alphabetical order (easier to find)
The "how" is not obvious, but the "what" is.
Your goal is to make sure that the order in which you include header files never matters (and i mean "NEVER !").
A good help is to test whether header files compile when building cpp files (one for each header file) that only include one of them.
For .cpp files, you should include the header of the class or whatever you are implementing first, so you catch the case where this header is missing some includes. After that, most coding guidelines tend to include system headers first, project headers second, for example the Google C++ Style Guide.
It's a dependency thing and it depends largely on what you put in our headers. A fact is that you can be really notorious about this and minimize to keep your includes strict but you'll eventually run into a scenario where you'll wanna use inclusion guards.
#ifndef MY_HEADER_H
#define MY_HEADER_H
//...
#endif
The problem isn't that apparent in the beginning, but as the complexity of your software grows so does your dependencies. You can do well, and be smart about it but larger C++ projects are generally riddled with includes. You can try, but you can only do so much. So be diligent and think about your includes, YES! But you'll most certainly have cyclic dependencies at some point and that is why you need inclusion guards.
If a header needs other headers then it just includes them in that header.
Try to structure your code so you pass pointers or references and forward declare where you can.
In the implementation then the header that defines it should be listed first (except in Visual Studio if you are using pch then stdafx would go first).
I generally list them as I need.
I've found the following convention the most useful:
module.cpp:
// this is the header used to trigger inclusion of precompiled headers
#include <precompiled.h>
// this ensures that anything that includes "module.h" works
#include "module.h"
// other headers, usually system headers, the project
The important thing is to put the module's header as the first non-precompiled header. This ensures "module.h" has no unexpected dependencies.
If you're working on a large project with slow disk access times, I've seen this style used to decrease build times:
module.cpp:
// this is the header used to trigger inclusion of precompiled headers
#include <precompiled.h>
// this ensures that anything that includes "module.h" works
#include "module.h"
// other headers, usually system headers, the project
#if !defined _OTHER_MODULE_GUARD_
#include "other_module.h"
#endif
#if !defined _ANOTHER_MODULE_GUARD_
#include "another_module.h"
#endif
It's a bit verbose but does save on disk seeking since the header won't be searched for / opened if it's already been included. Without the guard check, the compiler will seek for and open the header file, parse the whole file to end up #ifdefing the whole file out.