[hn_go_brrrrr]

Compilers implement the parts of the standard they agree with, in the way they think is best. They also implement it in the way they understand the standardese.

Read a complex enough project that's meant to be used across compiler venrdos and versions, and you'll find plenty of instances where they're working around the compiler not implementing the standard.

Also, if you attended the standards committee, you would hear plenty of complaints from compiler vendors that certain things are implementable. Sometimes the committee listens and makes changes, other times they put their fingers in their ears and ignore reality.

There are also plenty of places where the standard lets the compiler make it's own decision (implementation defined behavior). You need to know what your compiler vendor(s) chose to do.

tl;dr: With a standard as complex as C++'s, the compilers very much do not just "implement the standard". Sometimes you can get away with pretending that, but others very much not.

[vhantz]

Who said compilers "just" implement the standard?

The standard (to the extent that it is implemented) is implemented by compilers. At this point this whole thread has nothing to do with my original point, just weird one-upping all around