Should You Use TCHAR in Modern Windows Programming?

Is TCHAR a Relic of the Past in Modern Windows Programming?

As a newcomer to Windows programming, you may have encountered the TCHAR type and _T() function in your explorations. These remnants of an older era raise a key question: should you embrace them in your modern code or opt for the more recent wchar_t and L"" strings?

The Answer: Move Beyond TCHAR

The resounding answer is a resounding "no." While legacy code may still employ TCHARs, this concept is no longer considered good practice. The underlying rationale stems from the fundamental differences between UTF-16 (the basis of modern Windows strings) and legacy ASCII/MBCS strings.

Applying the same algorithms or functions to both types can severely impact performance for UTF-16 strings, particularly when engaging in complex operations beyond basic string concatenation. The presence of surrogate pairs in UTF-16 introduces significant complexities that necessitate specialized handling.

Therefore, except for the rare scenario where you must compile your application for systems lacking Unicode support, there is no compelling reason to perpetuate the use of TCHARs in contemporary Windows programming.

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