apache / apache/iceberg-cpp

Public headers require C++23, forcing the same on every consumer

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#928 4 comments 1 reaction 0 assignees View on GitHub
Dominant language
C++
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Description

`CMakeLists.txt:35` sets `CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 23`, which is a fine choice for the
library's own sources. The requirement is not confined to them, though.
`src/iceberg/result.h` includes `` and ``, and defines:

```cpp
template ::type>
using Result = std::expected;

using Status = Result;
```

`Result` is the return type of most public entry points —
`Catalog::ListNamespaces`, `ListTables`, `LoadTable`, `CreateTable`,
`StageCreateTable` and so on. Every consumer translation unit that calls them
must therefore compile as C++23 as well. `std::expected` needs libstdc++ 12 or
libc++ 16 and `` needs libstdc++ 13, so a consumer on an older but still
widely deployed toolchain cannot include the headers at all.

This matters for the engines the library is meant to be embedded in: Velox
builds as C++20, Arrow as C++17, DuckDB as C++11. Integrating leaves two
options — move the whole engine to C++23, or add an isolation layer whose only
purpose is keeping iceberg-cpp headers out of the rest of the build. We are
looking at iceberg-cpp for an Iceberg connector in
[Axiom](https://github.com/facebookincubator/axiom), which builds on Velox at
C++20, and would rather do neither.

Would you consider making the public error type portable while keeping the API
shape unchanged?

```cpp
#if defined(__cpp_lib_expected)
template ::type>
using Result = std::expected;
#else
// vendored fallback with the same interface
#endif
```

`arrow::Result`, `absl::StatusOr` and `tl::expected` all exist for this reason.
The library's own sources could keep building as C++23; only the public headers
would need to hold a lower baseline.

Happy to send a patch if the direction is agreeable.

cc @PingLiuPing, who is proposing the Iceberg connector for Axiom.

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

Research direction

Start with CMakeLists.txt:35 and the public header src/iceberg/result.h, then trace the listed Catalog entry points that expose Result. Compare the required C++23 library features with the older toolchains named in the issue. Done means consumers can include and use the public API without adopting C++23, while the library's own sources may continue building as C++23 and the API shape remains unchanged.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cmake, cpp
Domain
api, build-system
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
42/100

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