Daniel Thompson

Senior C++ Software Engineer

C++ has evolved far beyond its early days - modern C++ demands not just syntactical knowledge, but a solid grasp of language design, memory models, and system-level thinking. I value books that challenge readers to understand why certain patterns exist, and how to write code that’s not just fast, but robust, portable, and maintainable. When I review a book, I look for clarity, depth, and fidelity to modern C++ standards - especially C++17 and C++20.

My name is Daniel Thompson, and I’m a Senior C++ Software Engineer with a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the University of British Columbia. I’ve been writing performance-critical software in C++ since 2009, working across industries like embedded systems, real-time data processing, and low-latency trading platforms.

C++ is more than just a language for me - it’s a precision tool for solving high-performance computing challenges. Over the years, I’ve architected systems where nanoseconds matter, and correctness is non-negotiable. I review books on C++ because this language demands a deeper understanding of systems, memory, and architecture - and the quality of educational resources varies dramatically. My goal is to spotlight books that balance theory, standards compliance, and real-world application.

Why I Build the Way I Do

I believe in writing software that respects the hardware. C++ gives you power, but that power comes with responsibility. I advocate for precision, discipline, and code that reflects deep understanding - not just of syntax, but of the entire system.

Optimize only when necessary, but measure always
Own the lifecycle - memory, resources, threads
Don’t fear templates; master them
Trust the compiler, but know what it generates
Embrace RAII and modern idioms
Prefer clarity over clever metaprogramming
Stay current with the evolving C++ standard

Performance-Driven Systems: My Journey in C++

With over 15 years in software engineering, I’ve led teams building high-frequency trading engines, sensor data pipelines, and real-time simulations. My expertise lies in C++17/20, performance tuning, lock-free data structures, and multi-platform development. I’ve contributed to in-house compilers and worked with Clang/LLVM tooling.

Highlighted Projects:

TradeCore – High-Frequency Trading Engine. Designed and optimized a C++17-based trading system with sub-microsecond latency. Implemented lock-free ring buffers, custom allocators, and zero-copy messaging across network boundaries. Code was vetted through intensive backtesting and memory profiling.
SensoLink – Embedded Sensor Fusion Framework. Developed a modular C++ library for real-time sensor data aggregation used in robotics and drones. Used static polymorphism and template metaprogramming for compile-time safety and zero runtime overhead. Deployed on ARM Cortex-M targets.
SimWorld – Real-Time Physics Simulation Platform. Created the core engine for a simulation framework using C++20 coroutines and modern memory-safe constructs. Focused on deterministic behavior and multi-threaded performance under high computational load.
CodeTrace – Static Analysis & Debugging Toolkit. Contributed to a Clang-based tool for deep code introspection. Integrated custom AST visitors, performance trace logging, and analyzer plugins. The tool helped identify unsafe memory patterns and data races in legacy C++ codebases.
RenderPro – GPU Pipeline Controller. Built a lightweight C++ middleware to interface between a game engine and GPU shaders. Employed modern C++ abstractions while managing cross-platform OpenGL and Vulkan bindings efficiently.

The C++ Ecosystem I Use to Build High-Performance, System-Level Software

As a Senior C++ Software Engineer, my focus is on developing efficient, predictable, and maintainable software in performance-critical environments. I work close to the metal - designing multithreaded systems, optimizing memory usage, and writing cross-platform code where failure is not an option. I take full advantage of modern C++ features while respecting the complexity of low-level constraints.

Below are the core technologies I rely on and how I use them to deliver robust and high-performance solutions:

Technology	Using Since	How I Use It in Practice
C++ (C++03–C++20)	2009	My primary language for systems, real-time, and performance-focused applications. I use modern standards (C++17/20) for cleaner abstractions, RAII, and safer concurrency.
Multithreading & Concurrency	2011	I design lock-free data structures, use std::thread, std::async, and synchronization primitives to build scalable, thread-safe systems.
Template Metaprogramming	2012	I use templates for zero-cost abstractions, static polymorphism, and compile-time logic in embedded and high-performance applications.
CMake & Ninja	2012	I configure portable, modular build systems using CMake, often paired with Ninja for fast parallel builds and CI integration.
Boost Libraries	2013	I leverage Boost.Asio, Boost.Spirit, and Boost.Optional in projects that require extended functionality beyond the STL.
Static & Dynamic Analysis	2014	I use tools like Valgrind, cppcheck, and Clang-Tidy to detect memory issues, race conditions, and undefined behavior early in development.
Clang / GCC / MSVC	2009	I maintain cross-compiler compatibility across Linux, Windows, and embedded platforms. I regularly inspect compiler output for optimization and ABI compliance.
Unit Testing (GoogleTest, Catch2)	2013	I write unit and integration tests using GTest or Catch2 with CI pipelines. Testing is core to all refactors, especially in legacy C++ systems.

C++ Is Powerful - But Start with the Basics

Start with "Unreal Engine 5 Game Development with C++ Scripting" by Zhenyu George Li - it’s foundational
Pair reading with small code challenges - not just theory
Use g++ and clang++ early to understand compiler diagnostics
Learn RAII and smart pointers before touching raw memory
Follow ISO C++ evolution to stay modern
Use godbolt.org to understand how your code compiles
Don’t rush into templates - understand value semantics first