This talk will introduce what is (likely) the final version of the "Reflection" feature targeting C++26. With a proposal to introduce reflection to C++26 (including the “std::meta” namespace) slated to be voted into the standard in June 2025, we can already start imagining a whole new world of possibilities.
In this session, we will dive into reflection and its transformative potential within our codebases. We will start with a brief history of "reflection" history. We'll continue with an introduction of utilities from the latest reflection proposal. Then, we delve deeper into practical applications and demonstrate solutions to problems that commonly use reflection and the power it holds. For the last part, we will explore the possibilities within “Reflection Libraries”. This includes both “traditional” libraries which provide functionality, and more “novel” approaches which reshape users’ code. We will look at examples of what such libraries can cover, and demonstrate potential directions the future holds. Last but not least, we will discuss how "Reflection" may impact the way we manage our codebases and the delivery process.
Join us as we traverse the meta::[[verse]]!
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Inbal Levi is a Lead Software Engineer at Microsoft with an interest in code readability, compilers, language and software design. She is an active member of the ISO C++ Standards Committee as Library Evolution Work Group Chair, and as the ISO C++ Israeli NB Chair.
Inbal is also a director at ISO C++ Foundation and the Boost Foundation and puts effort into evolving both the local and international C++ communities, as an organizer of the CoreC++ conference and meetup group, and as the program chair of C++Now.