It comes up pretty frequently in java. Serialization/Deserialization, adding capabilities based on type, Adding new capabilities to a type, general tuning (for example, adding a timing or logging call onto methods).

Almost all the Java web frameworks are giant balls of reflection. Name a function the right way or add the right magic annotation and the framework will autowire it correctly.

It's a pretty powerful tool. (IDK if C++'s reflection is as capable, but this is what was enabled by java's reflection).

▲

SuperV1234 an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Java reflection is another beast altogether as it is runtime reflection. C++26 reflection is purely compile-time, which not only means it adds zero runtime cost, but also prevents those kind-of-insane use cases you see in Java and C#.

▲

david422 an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

> Almost all the Java web frameworks are giant balls of reflection. Name a function the right way or add the right magic annotation and the framework will autowire it correctly.

I find this to be very powerful, and also very unintuitive/undiscoverable at the same time.

	▲	cogman10 an hour ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Initially, but it very quickly becomes discoverable once you are familiar with how things are working. Most frameworks in Java are very similar. The ones that aren't are effectively doing what "expressjs" does in terms of setup, which is still pretty discoverable. Most java frameworks rely on annotations rather than naming schemes which makes everything a lot easier to grok.
	▲	kuboble an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Reflection is simply a syntax vinegar for duck typing.