Got a test case working that shows emplace_back and push_back do the same function calls in every instance except for one.

Makefile

@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ tracy_build:
 	meson compile -j 10 -C builddir
 
 test: build
-	./builddir/emplace_test.exe
-	./builddir/rvo_test.exe
+	./builddir/emplace_test.exe "[proof]"
 
 clean:
 	meson compile --clean -C builddir

emplace_move/test.cpp

@@ -7,34 +7,88 @@
 
 using namespace fmt;
 
+struct Counts {
+  int default_constructor = 0;
+  int value_constructor = 0;
+  int copy_constructor = 0;
+  int move_constructor = 0;
+  int move_assign = 0;
+  int copy_assign = 0;
+  int destructor = 0;
+
+  void reset() {
+    default_constructor = 0;
+    value_constructor = 0;
+    copy_constructor = 0;
+    move_constructor = 0;
+    move_assign = 0;
+    copy_assign = 0;
+    destructor = 0;
+  }
+
+  int totals() {
+    return default_constructor +
+    value_constructor +
+    copy_constructor +
+    move_constructor +
+    move_assign +
+    copy_assign +
+    destructor;
+  }
+
+  void dump() {
+    fmt::println("default_constructor {} value_constructor {} copy_constructor {} move_constructor {} move_assign {} copy_assign",
+      default_constructor,
+      value_constructor,
+      copy_constructor,
+      move_constructor,
+      move_assign,
+      copy_assign,
+      destructor);
+  }
+};
+
+Counts COUNTS;
+
 // Some heavy object
 struct A {
-  A() = default;
+  int val = 0;
+
+  A() {
+    COUNTS.default_constructor++;
+    std::cout << "default called constructor with: " << val << std::endl;
+  }
 
   A(int val) : val(val) {
+    COUNTS.value_constructor++;
     std::cout << "called constructor with: " << val << std::endl;
   }
 
   A(A const& other) {
+    COUNTS.copy_constructor++;
     std::cout << "calling copy(A const& other): " << val << std::endl;;
   }
   A(A&& other) {
+    COUNTS.move_constructor++;
     std::cout << "calling move(A&& other): " << val << std::endl;;
   }
 
   A& operator=(A&& other) {
+    COUNTS.move_assign++;
     std::cout << "calling move(A&& other)=: " << val << std::endl;;
     return *this;
   }
 
   A& operator=(A const& other) {
+    COUNTS.copy_assign++;
     std::cout << "calling copy(A const& other)=: " << val << std::endl;;
     return *this;
   }
 
-  ~A() = default;
-
-  int val{};
+  ~A() {
+    COUNTS.destructor++;
+    std::cout << "destructor called" << std::endl;
+  }
 };
 
 
@@ -92,9 +146,68 @@ TEST_CASE("pushback move tests", "[push_back]") {
   // to put the value in a slot so the compiler had to call the move constructor
   std::cout << "== 4. Push Back: Calling move constructor\n";
   test.push_back(A{});
+
 }
 
 
 TEST_CASE("proof you don't need emplace or std::move", "[proof]") {
+  A a{20};
+  A b{30};
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  std::vector<A> emtest;
+  emtest.reserve(10);
+
+  std::vector<A> pbtest;
+  pbtest.reserve(10);
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 0);
+
+  emtest.emplace_back(a);
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 1);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  pbtest.push_back(b);
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 1);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  // confirm these do the same number of calls
+  emtest.emplace_back(A{});
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 3);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  pbtest.push_back(A{});
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 3);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  {
+    REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 0);
+
+    A c{};
+    emtest.emplace_back(std::move(c));
+    REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 2);
+    COUNTS.dump();
+    COUNTS.reset();
+
+    A d{};
+    pbtest.push_back(std::move(d));
+    REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 2);
+    COUNTS.dump();
+    COUNTS.reset();
+  }
+
+  COUNTS.reset();
+
+  emtest.emplace_back(200);
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 1);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
 
+  pbtest.push_back(200);
+  REQUIRE(COUNTS.totals() == 3);
+  COUNTS.dump();
+  COUNTS.reset();
 }