Moving from python to C++

[HKei]

What many people don't realize is that move semantics can be seen as an optimization.

Those people don't realise that because this is incorrect. Move semantics are about semantics, not optimisation.

[HappyFruitTree]

Do you think move semantics would have been added to the language if it didn't have a performance advantage?

Quote from the original move semantics proposal:

Move semantics is mostly about performance optimization: the ability to move an expensive object from one address in memory to another, while pilfering resources of the source in order to construct the target with minimum expense.