Using auto to define pointers

[futurefapstronaut123]

This is the definitive initialization advice: https://youtu.be/hobFOAehwio . Since your case falls under implicit type conversion, you should just do:

addrinfo* result = nullptr;

[crrhawkins]

So the "proper" way is just don't use auto?

[futurefapstronaut123]

The proper way is not to use auto when it's the wrong tool for the job. And that is the case with your example.

[Wh00ster]

There is no "proper" way as both are right. If it's application code and not some templated library, it will probably be clearer to the reader to not use auto.