Question

If a function is declared as such:

namespace foo {
    void bar();
}

Most people define the function like this:

void foo::bar() {
    ...
}

However I like to do it this way:

namespace foo {
    void bar() {
        ...
    }
}

I prefer this style because its saves me from always retyping foo::, which is often tedious in function parameters that accept types declared in that same namespace. Plus its easier to rename the whole namespace.

I’m wondering why I almost never see my style in other peoples code, are there any disadvantages too it, besides the additional indentation level (and you don’t even have to indent namespaces)?

Answer 1

If you use the foo::bar form, and accidentally define the function with
incorrect arguments, you will get a compiler error. If you put the
definition in a namespace in the source file, different arguments will
simply result in a different function being defined. You won’t get an
error until you try to link with code which uses your function (which in
the case of a DLL, may not be until runtime).