artima The Safe Bool Idiom

Learn how to validate objects in a boolean context without the usual harmful side effects.

I**n C++, there are a number of ways to provide Boolean tests for classes. Such support is either provided to make usage intuitive, to support **generic programming, or both. We shall examine four popular ways of adding support for the popular and idiomatic if (object) {} construct. To conclude, we will discuss a new solution, without the pitfalls and dangers of the other four. Let the games begin.