Thread: Visual Studio - "stdafx.h" Questions

I finally got around to installing/starting to use Visual Studio Professional 2013, and I noticed that when I create a new console project I get an:

Code:

#include "stdafx.h"

Some quick googling gave me some information on precompiled headers, but I wanted to check here to see what exactly I should and shouldn't put in this file, and to make sure I understand it completely.

So from my understanding, "stdafx.h" is a file VS creates and uses as a precompiled header file. The first time you compile your project it will compile the contents of stdafx.h. Every time after the first time you compile, stdafx.h will automatically be included as long as it hadn't changed. So your compile time should get quicker since you won't be compiling all of your normal #include type stuff each time. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

Should I put all of the #includes that my program will be using into stdafx.h? Like <iostream>, <string>...etc? What about headers that I create myself that won't be changing much, should they be put in there as well?

There is nothing wrong with putting the STL and boost etc., in your precompiled headers. Templates will be instantiated from what's in the precompiled header. The only real drawback is if a part of the precompiled header changes, then you have a situation where the entire thing is recompiled, which can take a very long time.

Thanks for the information! Seems like a pretty cool feature.