A Kaleidoscope of Lambdas

Lambda expressions have settled for good in the contemporary C++ toolbox. They can be found just about everywhere, from transforming data with algorithms or ranges, through launching async tasks, to nifty metaprogramming tricks with concepts. No wonder, as they are easy to write, come with all the modern features included and allow for very expressive code.

Chances are that you also belong to the camp of daily lambda users. But can you really say that you know lambdas well, or that you get the most out of them? If this question gives you pause, then this talk is just for you. And for anyone else who wants to learn more about lambdas and (re-)discover their potential.

We'll start by reviewing the lambda syntax and discussing how it relates to closure objects. Then, we'll turn to the features of lambdas and their evolution up to the upcoming C++26 additions. While doing so, we'll identify the opportunities for using lambdas to simplify existing code and getting rid of those pesky std::binds and std::mem_fns. Finally, we'll talk about lambda-specific idioms, such as immediately invoked function expressions and their applications, or functional programming techniques with lambdas. Hopefully, after going through a range of common, unusual, and sometimes unexpected lambda patterns and applications you'll be better equipped to put them to use in your day-to-day practice.