[Development] About the timeline and phases to support C++20 with and in Qt

[Vladimir Minenko]

Hello all,

I want to share on this mailing list a proposal for the timeline and phases to support C++20 with and in Qt. Writing this, I’m aware that there were other discussions about the support of C++20 on this mailing list. This message is a step to get a list of features that all Qt users can expect along a certain timeline. We want to make the landing with the adoption of new C++ standards “softer” than it used to happen in the past, yet prompt enough to make sure that Qt keeps and enlarges its popularity among C++ developers.

We got four user stories on Qt Bug Reports:

1. Use C++20 code with Qt - https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109360
2. C++20 is required for the development of Qt itself - https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109361
3. C++20 is mandatory for users of Qt - https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109362
4. Long term: C++23, Qt7, and unsorted  - https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109363

These user stories are linked to selected features from the list once created by Marc in https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-99243

The above list is sorted in the order of time. Still, a particular "Fix Version” is not set yet. We (all) have to set this, though. ASAP for #1, and by the time we ship the version set in #1, we should set the version for #2, etc. See the list of all releases at https://wiki.qt.io/QtReleasing#Qt_releases

In addition, there is a task https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109469 to add a new page or extend an existing page (Supported Platforms?) with details about the support of C++ standards. Plus, we need to get a simple way to test the capabilities of a toolchain, see https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-109470.

The latter should be a help mainly for Qt users on embedded platforms. Those folks have serious problems again and again with "fast moves” towards new C++ standards since they do not have the luxury of quick updates of compilers and standard libraries as known on desktops.

Please have a look at the above issues, comment on Qt Bug Reports, and make changes if applicable.

And now, the most important point ;-) - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

--
Vladimir Minenko
vladimir.minenko at qt.io
+49 171 90 61 461

Senior Product Manager, Qt Foundation
The Qt Company - https://qt.io

c/o Regus / Josephspitalstraße 15
80331 Munich, Germany