Does it make sense to combine optional with reference_wrapper?

Question

It occurred to me that in C++ it is possible to use the type std::optional>. An object of this type is essentially a reference

Answer 1

The main difference between std::optional> and T* is that with T* you have to think about who owns the memory that is pointed to.

If a function returns T* you have to know if you are responsible for freeing the memory or someone else is. That's not something you have to be concerned with when it's a reference.