std::move is just a cast that converts expressions to rvalue references—it doesn't actually move anything. The real movement happens when move constructors or move assignment operators are invoked. Common mistakes include using std::move on return statements (which breaks RVO), moving from const objects (which silently falls back to copying), and forgetting noexcept on move operations (causing containers to copy instead). Proper move semantics require understanding value categories (lvalue, prvalue, xvalue), implementing the Rule of Five correctly, and using std::exchange for clean ownership transfer. Benchmarks show correctly implemented moves can be 7x faster than copies, while missing noexcept can cause 10x slowdowns.
Table of contents
The Problem: When “Optimization” Makes Things Slower #The Mechanics: What is std::move Really? #The Naive Approach: Three Mistakes That Will Hurt Your Performance #Implementing Move Semantics Correctly #std::move vs std::forward: Two Tools for Different Jobs #Modern C++ Context: How Move Semantics Have Evolved #Benchmarks: The Performance Impact of Getting This Right #Conclusion: The Mental Model for std::move #Real-World Example: Building a Move-Aware Container #Performance Pitfalls: Where Move Semantics Go Wrong #Final Thoughts: The Philosophy of Move Semantics #Further Reading and Resources #Sort: