Modern C++ Template for Advent of Code

This is a modern C++ template project specifically designed for solving Advent of Code challenges. It provides a structured environment for implementing solutions with test-driven development (TDD) in mind.

Features

• Modern C++17 support with std::filesystem for robust file handling
• GoogleTest integration for unit testing
• Organized project structure for multiple years and days
• Flexible build system with warning controls
• Input file management
• Test-driven development support

Project Structure

.
├── src/
│   └── advent_of_code/
│       ├── 2015/
│       │   ├── day01/
│       │   │   ├── day01.cpp      # Implementation
│       │   │   ├── day01.hpp      # Header
│       │   │   ├── main.cpp       # Main executable
│       │   │   └── input.txt      # Puzzle input
│       │   └── ...
│       └── ...
├── test/
│   └── advent_of_code/
│       ├── 2015/
│       │   ├── day01_test.cpp
│       │   └── ...
│       └── ...
└── ...

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• CMake 3.31 or higher
• C++17 compatible compiler
• Make

Building

The project uses a simple Make-based build system with the following commands:

# Build the project (warnings disabled by default)
make build

# Build with warnings enabled
make build WARNINGS=on

# Run all tests
make test

# Run tests with warnings enabled
make test WARNINGS=on

# Run a specific day's solution
make run day=2015_day01

# Clean build directory
make clean

Input Files

Each day's solution requires an input.txt file containing the puzzle input. Place these files in the corresponding day's directory:

src/advent_of_code/YYYY/dayXX/input.txt

For example, for Day 1 of 2015:

src/advent_of_code/2015/day01/input.txt

Development Workflow

1. Create a new day's solution:

   • Create directory: src/advent_of_code/YYYY/dayXX/
   • Add implementation files: dayXX.cpp, dayXX.hpp, main.cpp
   • Add input file: input.txt
   • Add test file: test/advent_of_code/YYYY/dayXX_test.cpp

2. Implement your solution:

   • Write tests first (TDD approach)
   • Implement the solution
   • Run tests: make test
   • Run solution: make run day=YYYY_dayXX

3. Build options:

   • Default build (no warnings): make build
   • Build with warnings: make build WARNINGS=on
   • Clean build: make clean

Testing

The project uses GoogleTest for unit testing. Test files should be placed in the test/advent_of_code/ directory, following the same year/day structure as the source files.

Example test file structure:

#include <gtest/gtest.h>
#include "day01.hpp"

TEST(Day01Test, Part1) {
    // Your test cases here
}

TEST(Day01Test, Part2) {
    // Your test cases here
}

Run tests with:

make test

Contributing

Please read CONTRIBUTING.md for details on our code of conduct and the process for submitting pull requests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Advent of Code for the programming challenges
• GoogleTest for the testing framework
• Modern C++ Template for the base project structure