Modules in C++20 — real or fake?

After several dozens of years of waiting and several years of heated discussions, C++20 finally introduces modules as a replacement for header files. As of late, this is one of the most revolutionary changes in C++ — and it's naturally surrounded by myths, hopes, inflated and low expectations.

In this talk, we'll see how modules in C++ work, how they resemble and differ from similar concepts in other languages, what capabilities were included in the standard and how they will affect code that we write, discuss common misconceptions about modules (where they can and cannot help), look how they affect language tooling and to what extent they can accelerate compilation of real-life projects. We'll also learn what you can try right now, what you'll need to wait for if you want to switch to the modular code and which tools the new standard gives you for that.