Why does C++ allow unsafe code?

That is, why does C++ support operations that can be used to violate the rules of static (compile-time) type safety?

• to access hardware directly (e.g. to treat an integer as a pointer to (address of) a device register)
• to achieve optimal run-time and space performance (e.g. unchecked access to elements of an array and unchecked access to an object through a pointer)
• to be compatible with C

That said, it is a good idea to avoid unsafe code like the plague whenever you don't actually need one of those three features:

• don't use casts
• keep arrays out of interfaces (hide them in the innards of high-performance functions and classes where they are needed and write the rest of the program using proper strings, vectors, etc.)
• avoid void* (keep them inside low-level functions and data structures if you really need them and present type safe interfaces, usually templates, to your users)
• avoid unions
• if you have any doubts about the validity of a pointer, use a smart pointer instead,
• don't use "naked" news and deletes (use containers, resource handles, etc., instead)
• don't use ...-style variadic functions ("printf style")
• Avoid macros excpt for include guards

Almost all C++ code can follow these simple rules. Please don't be confused by the fact that you cannot follow these rules if you write C code or C-style code in C++.

For an ambitious project to make C++ easier to use and safer without damaging its efficiency or flexibility, see the Core C++ Guidelines.