Microsoft has introduced the Visual Studio 2019 16.9 Preview 3 update, bringing a host of new features and enhancements tailored specifically for C++ development, alongside improvements for .NET and XAML. Released on January 20, this preview introduces a set of command-line tools aimed at refining the C++ development experience. The previous update, Visual Studio 16.8, already made significant strides in supporting C++ standards like C11 and C17, and this latest version builds upon those improvements with more targeted enhancements for developers working with the C++ language.
One of the key new features in the 16.9 Preview 3 update is the expanded support for C++ developers working with OpenMP. This update enables developers to target the LLVM version of the OpenMP runtime using the command-line switch /openmp:llvm. This new functionality provides added support for the lastprivate clause on #pragma omp sections, as well as unsigned index variables in parallel for loops, further enhancing the flexibility and capabilities of OpenMP within C++ projects. However, it’s important to note that this feature is currently considered experimental and is available only for the AMD64 target.
In addition to OpenMP improvements, Visual Studio 16.9 Preview 3 also brings first-class support for remote development, which is a crucial update for CMake projects. Developers can now configure their projects to target AMD64, streamlining remote development workflows and improving overall efficiency when working with large or distributed teams. This update also makes remote development more seamless and accessible, helping developers maintain productivity regardless of their local development environment.
Another significant change in this preview is the marking of many lock and guard types in the Standard Template Library (STL) implementation with nodiscard. This simple yet impactful change helps C++ developers catch potential issues earlier by providing more informative compiler errors. By encouraging better practices in resource management, this update makes it easier for developers to spot and resolve common problems in their code, ultimately improving code quality and reducing the risk of bugs. With these enhancements, Visual Studio 2019 16.9 Preview 3 continues to solidify its place as a powerful development tool for C++ professionals.