stdmovex

Stdmovex is a proposed cross-language standard library interface designed to standardize the transfer of ownership of objects between contexts without incurring copies. The aim is to provide a portable set of constructs that express ownership transfer across languages and runtimes, enabling libraries and applications to move resources efficiently while preserving safety guarantees. It is intended to complement language-specific ownership models rather than replace them.

The core concept centers on a small API for move operations and a mechanism to indicate move-enabled types. Typical concepts include a move operation, a move_if_noexcept variant, and a type trait that signals when a type supports moving. The standard defines conventions for move constructors and move assignments, a lightweight handle type representing a movable resource, and guidance on the lifecycle of moved-from states. The design emphasizes zero-cost moves where possible and clear semantics for exception safety and resource cleanup.

Stdmovex is conceived as language-agnostic, with implementations mapped to a language’s native ownership semantics through bindings or libraries. The emphasis is interoperability and minimal overhead, aiming to reduce library friction in multi-language ecosystems while remaining compatible with existing standard library abstractions.

Status and adoption: stdmovex was proposed by the International Standards and Interoperability Forum (ISIF) in 2022. As of 2025, it remains a proposal rather than an official standard, with experimental implementations in a few toolchains and libraries. Its adoption depends on ongoing feedback, practical demonstrations of cross-language portability, and consensus within the community.

Criticism and reception: Some critics warn that a cross-language ownership standard could add complexity and constrain language-specific optimization opportunities. Proponents argue that a common abstraction can simplify interop and improve performance in polyglot projects, while others favor evolving language-native move semantics without a separate cross-language standard.