Why should I use std::forward?

Question

In the code below, why should I use std::forward when passing around arguments?

class Test {
  public:
  Test() {
      std::cout << "ctor" << std::endl;
  }
  Test(const Test&) {
      std::cout << "copy ctor" << std::endl;
  }
  Test(const Test&&) {
      std::cout << "move ctor" << std::endl;
  }
};

template<typename Arg>
void pass(Arg&& arg) {
    // use arg..
    return; 
}

template<typename Arg, typename ...Args>
void pass(Arg&& arg, Args&&... args)
{
    // use arg...
    return pass(args...); // why should I use std::forward<Arg>(args)... ?
}

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
    pass(std::move<Test>(Test()));

    return 0;
}

The code with or without std::forward doesn't show any copy/move around.

Answer 1

There are a number of good posts on what std::forward does and how it works (such as here and here).

In a nutshell, it preserves the value category of its argument. Perfect forwarding is there to ensure that the argument provided to a function is forwarded to another function (or used within the function) with the same value category (basically r-value vs. l-value) as originally provided. It is typically used with template functions where reference collapsing may have taken place (involving universal/forwarding references).

Consider the code sample below. Removing the std::forward would print out requires lvalue and adding the std::forward prints out requires rvalue. The func is overloaded based on whether it is an rvalue or an lvalue. Calling it without the std::forward calls the incorrect overload. The std::forward is required in this case as pass is called with an rvalue.

#include <utility>
#include <iostream>
class Test {
  public:
  Test() {
      std::cout << "ctor" << std::endl;
  }
  Test(const Test&) {
      std::cout << "copy ctor" << std::endl;
  }
  Test(Test&&) {
      std::cout << "move ctor" << std::endl;
  }
};

void func(Test const&)
{
    std::cout << "requires lvalue" << std::endl;
}

void func(Test&&)
{
    std::cout << "requires rvalue" << std::endl;
}

template<typename Arg>
void pass(Arg&& arg) {
    // use arg here
    func(std::forward<Arg>(arg));
    return; 
}

template<typename Arg, typename ...Args>
void pass(Arg&& arg, Args&&... args)
{
    // use arg here
    return pass(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
}

int main(int, char**)
{
    pass(std::move<Test>(Test()));
    return 0;
}