On , 2022Jan27, at 07:42, Peter Sommerlad (C++) <peter.cpp_at_[hidden]<mailto:peter.cpp_at_[hidden]>> wrote:

I teach to use those optionals as replacements for pointers and I introduce optional before pointers as a means to return from a potentially failing function.

Don’t get me wrong, I love std::optional. But

1. Either your students already need to be familiar with the “.value()” mechanism, which implies that they understand classes,
2. Or they need to internalize “*optionalresult” which looks like a dereference but isn’t, so that’s doubly confusing if they do come from a C background.

And all of this when you’re just starting to teach parameter passing, which is where I started the discussion….

I do teach optional, even in a beginning course, but several weeks after I’ve taught them parameter passing.

Victor.