One of the recent Embarcadero “CodeRage 2018” webinars was about some of the features in C++ 17.
This included some talk about the “auto” key word and associated encouragement to use it. I’m less convinced about using this in a carefree manner. When you declare a variable or (in C++ 17) a return value who is the sensible person to choose what type it is? The compiler or you?
It’s a great typing saver when you are declaring an iterator for one of the standard library containers (eg a vector). So use it for this.
But I’m not so sure about using it in cases where some careless modification of code might unintentionally change the type of a variable or return value. I feel (because I am used to it) that the strong rigorous typing enforced by earlier C++ standards (before the introduction of the “auto” keyword) is an advantage of the language not a disadvantage.
So yes, use “auto” but only WITH CARE.