c++autoreturn-by-reference

How is it possible to return a reference via auto return type?

I have a function auto function(...). Is it possible to return a reference from it?

I think using a reference wrapper (std::ref?) would be the right thing to do, but I didn't really get how it works and is used, so please be so kind a write a short explanation.

I am aware of the dangers of returning references, but in my case it would make things easier if I could.

Solution

  • Sure, use auto&, much like as you would in a for loop if you were too busy to write out the type explicitly and didn't want to take value copies:

    auto& nearly_ub() {
    static int foo;
    return foo;
}

    but beware the dangling reference possibility.