std::optional

Imagine a situation where you're trying to represent a value that might or might not be present. Maybe you're fetching data from a database, and there's a chance that the queried item doesn't exist. Traditionally, we might use pointers or special sentinel values (like -1 for integers) to handle such cases.

But these methods can lead to confusion and bugs. Enter std::optional—a modern C++ solution that elegantly represents optional values, making your code clearer and safer.