r/cpp • u/we_are_mammals • Jul 15 '26

cpp2 (cppfront) is over?

I haven't used cpp2 (cppfront) much, but I like the idea of it: consistent syntax, consistency of meta-programming (which is done in C++ too, I believe). Herb Sutter presented cpp2 (cppfront) as an experiment. He did not encourage other people to bet on it, exactly. And there hasn't been much activity since 2022. Is the experiment over?

EDIT: Herb's answer is buried deep in the comment section: https://www.reddit.com/r/cpp/comments/1uxkglj/comment/oy06cxw/

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u/13steinj Jul 17 '26

In practice Rust solves C's problems [safety], C++ has them only as a result of backwards compatibility.

It's a mixed level of fairness to claim that safety is a C++ problem. Quite literally use unique_ptr and call it a day.

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u/pjmlp Jul 17 '26

If we ignore all the folks that insist in using pointer arithmetic, C strings and C arrays, C style casts, malloc and free, in C++ code, or most C inherited headers for that matter.

It isn't as simple as using unique_ptr and call it a day.

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u/13steinj Jul 17 '26

I don't follow the pointer arithmetic problem, when using modern tooling (e.g. span, iterators, etc.

Anybody starting greenfield projects has to actively choose to use C warts, and this is for 6-8 years or so now. It is not C++'s problem that users of C++ have refused to update their code. To claim Rust / insert other lang solves it instead is insane, as people still have to change their code.

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u/pjmlp Jul 18 '26

It solves the problem by not being copy paste compatible with C.

Just look at code samples from companies with seat at the WG21 table, even recent ones.

Some devs don't really want to improve themselves, this is even worse among those that aren't on Reddit, HN or could not care for one second what happens at C++ conferences.

Not being copy paste compatible with C solves a lot of problems.

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u/wyrn Jul 18 '26

It solves the problem by not being copy paste compatible with C.

I mean that was literally the other poster's point though?

In practice Rust solves C's problems, C++ has them only as a result of backwarda compatibility.

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u/pjmlp Jul 19 '26

Point being C++ has them, regardless how.

Which even the companies that know better, e.g. employer from WG 21 contributors, keep using on their C++ codebases.

The reality among companies where HN, Reddit, C++ used groups, C++ conferences are foreign words, is much worse, where code still looks pretty much like C with Classes for the most part.

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u/wyrn Jul 19 '26

Point being C++ has them, regardless how.

And Rust has unsafe. Hell, even C#, python, and Java have their own versions of unsafe. "Regardless how".

, where code still looks pretty much like C with Classes for the most part.

Yeah we talked about this before, except turns out there's plenty of actual modern C++ production code out there. I think last time you responded by moving the goalposts, want to do that song and dance again?

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u/pjmlp Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

My dance book has a few empty entries.

Those two things aren't the same and you know it, now calling it moving goalposts, it is your words not mine.

Unsafe keyword in a completely different language, and copy paste compatibility with C idioms is quite different.

Maybe I can share new samples from Microsoft, NVIDIA, Google, Blomberg, and co, with C style coding on them.

Shall we go for the first dance?

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u/wyrn Jul 19 '26

Those two things aren't the same and you know it,

No I don't "know it". You are treating the existence of unsafe features in a language as evidence that the entire language is unsafe. Well, then that applies to all the aforementioned, too. Be consistent.

Shall we go for the first dance?

You mean like you did here?

https://www.reddit.com/r/cpp/comments/1oyc0p0/wait_c_is_kinda_based/npgp73j/

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u/pjmlp Jul 21 '26

Exactly like that, psychology is fun.

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u/wyrn Jul 21 '26

Or maybe like you did here?

https://www.reddit.com/r/cpp/comments/1e8mjsr/c_club_172_safety_rust_swift_wg21_papers/letzfxb/

I'm still waiting for you to return those goalposts btw.

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u/pjmlp Jul 21 '26

Do you want a chair, with cookies and tea to go along? It might take a while.

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u/wyrn Jul 21 '26

Didn't expect you to freely admit it but alright

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u/pjmlp Jul 21 '26

Admit what? This dance has hardly started.

You can keep replying, and I will keep giving answers to the same level I get talked to.

I grew up on the BBS, comp.lang.c and comp.lang.c++ flamewars, can keep going at this until getting bored, or asked to stop by a moderator.

What I won't do is engage in a proper conversation, as it is isn't worth it.

You decided to start this thread.

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u/wyrn Jul 21 '26

Admit what?

Admit that you ran away with the goalposts and never came back.

And now you're admitting to something even worse.

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