When should I use C++14 automatic return type deduction?

Question

With GCC 4.8.0 released, we have a compiler that supports automatic return type deduction, part of C++14. With -std=c++1y, I can do this:

auto          


        

Answer 1

It's never necessary. As to when you should- you're going to get a lot of different answers about that. I'd say not at all until its actually an accepted part of the standard and well supported by the majority of major compilers in the same way.

Beyond that, its going to be a religious argument. I'd personally say never- putting in the actual return type makes code clearer, is far easier for maintenance (I can look at a function's signature and know what it returns vs actually having to read the code), and it removes the possibility that you think it should return one type and the compiler thinks another causing problems (as has happened with every scripting language I've ever used). I think auto was a giant mistake and it will cause orders of magnitude more pain than help. Others will say you should use it all the time, as it fits their philosophy of programming. At any rate, this is way out of scope for this site.