What are async and futures in C++11?

Can you explain what async and futures are in C++11?

Sure! In C++11, async is a function that runs a task asynchronously, while future is a way to retrieve the result of that task once it's completed.

How do I use async and futures in my code?

You can use std::async to launch a task and get a std::future object that represents the result. Here's a simple example: std::future<int> result = std::async([]{ return 42; });.

What happens if the task takes too long?

If the task takes too long, you can use std::future::wait_for to specify a timeout. If the task doesn't complete in that time, it will return a std::future_status::timeout.

Are there any drawbacks to using async and futures?

Yes, using async can lead to resource management issues if not handled properly, such as potential memory leaks or unhandled exceptions.