How does the pimpl idiom reduce dependencies?

Question

Consider the following:

PImpl.hpp

class Impl;

class PImpl
{
    Impl* pimpl;
    PImpl() : pimpl(new Impl) { }
    ~PImpl() { delete pimpl; }
    void DoSomething();
};

PImpl.cpp

#include "PImpl.hpp"
#include "Impl.hpp"

void PImpl::DoSomething() { pimpl->DoSomething(); }

Impl.hpp

class Impl
{
    int data;
public:
    void DoSomething() {}
}

client.cpp

#include "Pimpl.hpp"

int main()
{
    PImpl unitUnderTest;
    unitUnderTest.DoSomething();
}

The idea behind this pattern is that Impl's interface can change, yet clients do not have to be recompiled. Yet, I fail to see how this can truly be the case. Let's say I wanted to add a method to this class -- clients would still have to recompile.

Basically, the only kinds of changes like this that I can see ever needing to change the header file for a class for are things for which the interface of the class changes. And when that happens, pimpl or no pimpl, clients have to recompile.

What kinds of editing here give us benefits in terms of not recompiling client code?

Answer 1

The main advantage is that the clients of the interface aren't forced to include the headers for all your class's internal dependencies. So any changes to those headers don't cascade into a recompile of most of your project. Plus general idealism about implementation-hiding.

Also, you wouldn't necessarily put your impl class in its own header. Just make it a struct inside the single cpp and make your outer class reference its data members directly.

Edit: Example

SomeClass.h

struct SomeClassImpl;

class SomeClass {
    SomeClassImpl * pImpl;
public:
    SomeClass();
    ~SomeClass();
    int DoSomething();
};

SomeClass.cpp

#include "SomeClass.h"
#include "OtherClass.h"
#include <vector>

struct SomeClassImpl {
    int foo;
    std::vector<OtherClass> otherClassVec;   //users of SomeClass don't need to know anything about OtherClass, or include its header.
};

SomeClass::SomeClass() { pImpl = new SomeClassImpl; }
SomeClass::~SomeClass() { delete pImpl; }

int SomeClass::DoSomething() {
    pImpl->otherClassVec.push_back(0);
    return pImpl->otherClassVec.size();
}