Coding Standards - Default values

[apachano]

Should default values be initialized as a default in the header, or in the constructor? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

[vyomfadia]

I think trivial default values should be initialized in the header. For example:

class HeaderFile
{
public:
    HeaderFile();
   ~HeaderFile();

private:
    bool active = false;
    std::size_t status = 0;
    math::Vector3 position; // a type like this should default construct to 0.

    ComplexDataStructure data; // if this is complex default initialize it in the constructor/cpp file unless it has a simple default constructor.
}

Putting things like bools and integers don't gain anything out of being initialized in the constructor unless it's a value that isn't static (like user input or file input, etc...). I personally believe putting these in the header would be helpful since it will keep a usually busy cpp file a bit tidier.