Filesystem Crawler - Modern C++

A high-performance, memory-efficient file crawler for GNU/Linux systems showcasing advanced C++ design patterns and modern C++ practices.

Overview

This project implements a fast filesystem traversal engine using RAII, smart pointers, and custom STL-compatible iterators. Built with modern C++ standards, it demonstrates clean object-oriented architecture with template metaprogramming.

Key Features

• Factory Pattern: Dynamic object creation via makeFing()
• Custom Iterators: STL-compatible iterator implementation for traversal
• Operator Overloading: Full suite of arithmetic, comparison, and boolean operators
• Template Metaprogramming: Dual<T, U> template design for flexible type handling
• POSIX Integration: Direct system calls for efficient filesystem operations
• Smart Pointers: Memory-safe resource management using shared_ptr

Architecture

The codebase employs multiple design patterns:

• Factory pattern for object instantiation
• Iterator pattern for sequential access
• Functor pattern with custom comparators
• RAII for automatic resource management

Building

make
./test

Technical Deep Dive

Memory Management

Uses RAII principles with std::shared_ptr to ensure automatic cleanup of resources, preventing memory leaks without manual destructor logic.

Iterator Design

Custom iterators provide STL-compatible traversal, enabling use with standard algorithms and range-based for loops.

POSIX API Integration

Direct system calls provide low-level filesystem access with maximum performance on GNU/Linux systems.

TODO

• Migrate to C++17/20 features
• Add comprehensive test suite
• Implement parallel directory traversal
• Add Windows platform support
• Create benchmarking suite
• Add symbolic link handling options