Zero cost abstraction

The C++ programming language has always helped developers to write code that exploits the microprocessor (on which generated code runs) and also raise the level of abstraction when it matters. While raising the abstraction, the designers of the language have always tried to minimize (almost eliminate) their performance overhead. This is called Zero Cost Abstraction or Zero Overhead Cost Abstraction. The only notable penalty you pay is the cost of indirect calls (through function pointers) while dispatching virtual functions. Despite adding tons of features to the language, the designers have maintained the "Zero Cost Abstraction" guarantee implied by the language from its inception.