Modern C++
Programming
18. Advanced Topics I
Federico Busato
2024-01-18
Overview
Move semantics refers in transferring ownership of resources
from one object to another
Differently from copy semantic, move semantic does not duplicate
the original resource
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lvalue and rvalue 1/3
In C++ every expression is either an rvalue or an lvalue
• a lvalue (left) represents an expression that occupies some identifiable location in
memory
• a rvalue (right) is an expression that does not represent an object occupying some
identifiable location in memory
int x = 5; // "x" is an lvalue, "5" is an rvalue
int y = 10; // "y" is an lvalue
int z = (x * y); // "z" is an
lvalue, (x * y) is an rvalue
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lvalues and rvalues 2/3
C++11 introduces a new kind of reference called rvalue reference X&&
• An rvalue reference only binds to an rvalue, that is a temporary
• An lvalue reference only binds to an lvalue
• A const lvalue reference binds to both lvalue and rvalue
int x = 5; // "x" is an lvalue
int& r1 = x; // "r1" is an lvalue reference
// int& r2 = 5; // compile error, "5" is an rvalue
const int& cr = (x * y); // "cr" is an const lvalue reference
int&& rv = (x * y); // "rv" is an rvalue
// int&& rv1 = x; // compile error, "x" is NOT an rvalue
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lvalues and rvalues 3/3
struct A {};
void f(A& a) {} // lvalue reference
void g(const A& a) {} // const lvalue reference
void h(A&& a) {} // rvalue reference
A a;
f(a); // ok, f() can modify "a"
g(a); // ok, f() cannot modify "a"
// h(a); // compile error f() does not accept lvalues
// f(A{}); // compile error f() does not accept rvalues
g(A{}); // ok, f() cannot modify the object A{}
h(A{}); // ok, f() can modify the object A{}
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Move Semantic - The Problem 1/2
# include <algorithm>
class Array { // Array Wrapper
public:
Array() = default;
Array(int size) : _size{size}, _array{new int[size]} {}
Array(const Array& obj) : _size{obj._size}, _array{new int[obj._size]} {
// EXPENSIVE COPY (deep copy)
std::copy(obj._array, obj._array + _size, _array);
}
∼Array() { delete[] _array; }
private:
int _size;
int* _array;
};
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Move Semantic - The Problem 2/2
# include <vector>
int main() {
std::vector<Array> vector;
vector.push_back( Array{1000} ); // call push back(const Array&)
} // expensive copy
Before C++11: Array{1000} is created, passed by const-reference, copied, and
then destroyed
Note: Array{1000} is no more used outside push back
After C++11: Array{1000} is created, and moved to vector (fast!)
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Move Semantic 1/3
Class prototype with support for move semantic:
class X {
public:
X(); // default constructor
X(const X& obj); // copy constructor
X(X&& obj); // move constructor
X& operator=(const X& obj); // copy assign operator
X& operator=(X&& obj); // move assign operator
∼X(); // destructor
};
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Move Semantic 2/3
Move constructor semantic
X(X&& obj);
(1) Shallow copy of obj data members (in contrast to deep copy)
(2) Release any obj resources and reset all data members (pointer to nullptr, size to 0,
etc.)
Move assignment semantic
X& operator=(X&& obj);
(1) Release any resources of this
(2) Shallow copy of obj data members (in contrast to deep copy)
(3) Release any obj resources and reset all data members (pointer to nullptr, size to 0,
etc.)
(4) Return *this
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Move Semantic 3/3
Move constructor
Array(Array&& obj) {
_size = obj._size; // (1) shallow copy
_array = obj._array; // (1) shallow copy
obj._size = 0; // (2) release obj (no more valid)
obj._array = nullptr; // (2) release obj
}
Move assignment
Array& operator=(Array&& obj) {
delete[] _array; // (1) release this
_size = obj._size; // (2) shallow copy
_array = obj._array; // (2) shallow copy
obj._array = nullptr; // (3) release obj
obj._size = 0; // (3) release obj
return *this; // (4) return *this
}
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std::move
C++11 provides the method std::move ( <utility> ) to indicate that an
object may be “moved from”
It allows to efficient transfer resources from an object to another one
# include <vector>
int main() {
std::vector<Array> vector;
vector.push_back( Array{1000} ); // call "push back(Array&&)"
Array arr{1000};
vector.push_back( arr ); // call "push back(const Array&)"
vector.push_back( std::move(arr) ); // call "push back(Array&&)"
// efficient!!
// "arr" is not more valid here
}
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Move Semantic Notes
If an object requires the copy constructor/assignment, then it should also define the
move constructor/assignment. The opposite could not be true
The defaulted move constructor/assignment =default recursively applies the move
semantic to its base class and data members.
Important: it does not release the resources. It is very dangerous for classes with
manual resources management
// Suppose: Array(Array&&) = default;
Array x{10};
Array y = std::move(x); // call the move constructor
// "x" calls ∼Array() when it is out of scope, but now the internal pointer
// "_array" is NOT nullptr -> double free or corruption!!
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Move Semantic and Code Reuse
Some operations can be expressed as a function of the move semantic
A& operator=(const A& other) {
*this = std::move(A{other}); // copy constructor + move assignment
return *this;
}
void init(... /* any paramters */ ) {
*this = std::move(A{...}); // user-declared constructor + move assignment
}
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Class Declaration Semantic
User-declared Entity Meaning / Implications
non- static const members
Copy/Move constructors are not trivial (not provided by the
compiler). Copy/move assignment is not supported
reference members
Copy/Move constructors/assignment are not trivial (not
provided by the compiler)
destructor
The resource management is not trivial. Copy
constructor/assignment is very likely to be implemented
copy constructor/assignment
Resource management is not trivial. Move
constructors/assignment need to be implemented by the user
move constructor/assignment
There is an efficient way to move the object. Copy
constructor/assignment cannot fallback safely to copy
constructors/assignment, so they are deleted
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Universal Reference 1/3
The && syntax has two different meanings depending on the context it is used
• rvalue reference
• Universal reference: Either rvalue reference or lvalue reference
Universal references (also called forwarding references) are rvalues that appear in a
type-deducing context. T&& auto&& accept any expression regardless it is an lvalue
or rvalue and preserve the const property
void f1(int&& t) {} // rvalue reference
template<typename T>
void f2(T&& t) {} // universal reference
int&& v1 = ...; // rvalue reference
auto&& v2 = ...; // universal reference
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Universal Reference 2/3
int f_copy() { return x; }
int& f_ref(int& x) { return x; }
const int& f_const_ref(const int& x) { return x; }
auto v1 = ...; // f_copy(), f_const_ref(), only lvalues
auto& v2 = ...; // f_ref(), only lvalue ref
const auto& v3 = ...; // f_copy(), f_ref(), f_const_ref()
// only const lvalue ref (decay), cannot be modified
const auto&& v4 = ...; // f_copy(), only rvalues, cannot be modified
auto&& v5 = ...; // everything
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Universal Reference 3/3
struct A {};
void f1(A&& a) {} // rvalue only
template<typename T>
void f2(T&& t) {} // universal reference
A a;
f1(A{}); // ok
// f1(a); // compile error (only rvalue)
f2(A{}); // universal reference
f2(a); // universal reference
A&& a2 = A{}; // ok
// A&& a3 = a; // compile error (only rvalue)
auto&& a4 = A{}; // universal reference
auto&& a5 = a; // universal reference
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Universal Reference - Misleading Cases
template<typename T>
void f(std::vector<T>&&) {} // rvalue reference
template<typename T>
void f(const T&&) {} // rvalue reference (const)
const auto&& v = ...; // const rvalue reference
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Reference Collapsing Rules
Before C++11 (C++98, C++03), it was not allowed to take a reference to a
reference ( A& & causes a compile error)
C++11, by contrast, introduces the following reference collapsing rules:
template<typename T>
void f(T&) {} // compile error in C++98/03 (with gcc),
// no errors in C++11 (and clang with C++98/03)
int a = 3; //
f<int&>(a); //
Type Reference Result
A& & → A&
A& && → A&
A&& & → A&
A&& && → A&&
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Perfect Forwarding
Perfect forwarding allows preserving argument value category and const/volatile
modifiers
std::forward ( <utility> ) forwards the argument to another function with the
value category it had when passed to the calling function (perfect forwarding)
# include <utility> // std::forward
template<typename T> void f(T& t) { cout << "lvalue"; }
template<typename T> void f(T&& t) { cout << "rvalue"; } // overloading
template<typename T> void g1(T&& obj) { f(obj); } // call only f(T&)
template<typename T> void g2(T&& obj) { f(std::forward<T>(obj)); }
struct A{};
f ( A{10} ); // print "rvalue"
g1( A{10} ); // print "lvalue"!!
g2( A{10} ); // print "rvalue"
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Taxonomy (simplified)
Every expression is either an rvalue or an lvalue
• An lvalue (left value of an assignment for historical reason or locator value)
represents an expression that occupies an identity, namely a memory location
(it has an address)
• An rvalue is movable; an lvalue is not
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Taxonomy 1/2
glvalue (generalized lvalue) is an expression that has an identity
lvalue is a glvalue but it is not movable (it is not an xvalue). An named rvalue
reference is a lvalue
xvalue (eXpiring) has an identity and it is movable. It is a glvalue that denotes an
object whose resources can be reused. An unnamed rvalue reference is a
xvalue
prvalue (pure rvalue) doesn’t have identity, but is movable. It is an expression
whose evaluation initializes an object or computes the value of an operand
of an operator
rvalue is movable. It is a prvalue or an xvalue
en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/value category
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Taxonomy 2/2
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Examples
struct A {
int x;
};
void f(A&&) {}
A&& g();
//----------------------------------------------------------------
int a = 4; // "a" is an lvalue, "4" is a prvalue
f(A{4}); // "A{4}" is a prvalue
A&& b = A{3}; // "A&& b" is a named rvalue reference → lvalue
A c{4};
f(std::move(c)); // "std::move(c)" is a xvalue
f(A{}.x); // "A{}.x" is a xvalue
g(); // "A&&" is a xvalue
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&, && Ref-qualifiers Overloading 1/3
C++11 allows overloading member functions depending on the lvalue/rvalue property
of their object. This is also known as ref-qualifiers overloading and can be useful for
optimization purposes, namely, moving a variable instead of copying it
struct A {
// void f() {} // already covered by "f() &"
void f() & {}
void f() && {}
};
A a1;
a1.f(); // call "f() &"
A{}.f(); // call "f() &&"
std::move(a1).f(); // call "f() &&"
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&, && Ref-qualifiers Overloading 2/3
Ref-qualifiers overloading can be also combined with const methods
struct A {
// void f() const {} // already covered by "f() const &"
void f() const & {}
void f() const && {}
};
const A a1;
a1.f(); // call "f() const &"
std::move(a1).f(); // call "f() const &&"
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&, && Ref-qualifiers Overloading 3/3
A simple example where ref-qualifiers overloading is useful
struct ArrayWrapper {
ArrayWrapper(/*params*/ ) { /* something expensive */ }
ArrayWrapper copy() const & { /* expensive copy with std::copy() */ }
ArrayWrapper copy() const && { /* just move the pointer as the original
object is no more used */ }
};
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volatile Overloading
struct A {
void f() {}
void f() volatile {} // e.g. propagate volatile to data members
void f() const volatile {}
// void f() volatile & {} // combining ref-qualifier and volatile
// void f() const volatile & {} // overloading is also fine
// void f() volatile && {}
// void f() const volatile && {}
};
volatile A a1;
a1.f(); // call "f() volatile"
const volatile A a2;
a2.f(); // call "f() const volatile"
Member Function Overloading: Choices You Didn’t Know You Had
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Copy Elision and RVO
Copy elision is a compiler optimization technique that eliminates unnecessary
copying/moving of objects (it is defined in the C++ standard)
A compiler avoids omitting copy/move operations with the following optimizations:
• RVO (Return Value Optimization) means the compiler is allowed to avoid
creating temporary objects for return values
• NRVO (Named Return Value Optimization) means the compiler is allowed to
return an object (with automatic storage duration) without invokes copy/move
constructors
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RVO Example
Returning an object from a function is very expensive without RVO/NVRO:
struct Obj {
Obj() = default;
Obj(const Obj&) { // non-trivial
cout << "copy constructor\n";
}
};
Obj f() { return Obj{}; } // first copy
auto x1 = f(); // second copy (create "x")
If provided, the compiler uses the move constructor instead of copy constructor
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RVO - Where it works
RVO Copy elision is always guarantee if the operand is a prvalue of the same class
type and the copy constructor is trivial and non-deleted
struct Trivial {
Trivial() = default;
Trivial(const Trivial&) = default;
};
// sigle instance
Trivial f1() {
return Trivial{}; // Guarantee RVO
}
// distinct instances and run-time selection
Trivial f2(bool b) {
return b ? Trivial{} : Trivial{}; // Guarantee RVO
}
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Guaranteed Copy Elision (C++17)
In C++17, RVO Copy elision is always guarantee if the operand is a prvalue of the
same class type, even if the copy constructor is not trivial or deleted
struct S1 {
S1() = default;
S1(const S1&) = delete; // deleted
};
struct S2 {
S2() = default;
S2(const S2&) {} // non-trivial
};
S1 f() { return S1{}; }
S2 g() { return S2{}; }
auto x1 = f(); // compile error in C++14
auto x2 = g(); // RVO only in C++17
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RVO Example - Where it does NOT work 1/3
NRVO is not always guarantee even in C++17
Obj f1() {
Obj a;
return a; // most compilers apply NRVO
}
Obj f2(bool v) {
Obj a;
if (v)
return a; // copy/move constructor
return Obj{}; // RVO
}
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RVO Example - Where it does NOT work 2/3
Obj f3(bool v) {
Obj a, b;
return v ? a : b; // copy/move constructor
}
Obj f4() {
Obj a;
return std::move(a); // force move constructor
}
Obj f5() {
static Obj a;
return a; // only copy constructor is possible
}
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RVO Example - Where it does NOT work 3/3
Obj f6(Obj& a) {
return a; // copy constructor (a reference cannot be elided)
}
Obj f7(const Obj& a) {
return a; // copy constructor (a reference cannot be elided)
}
Obj f8(const Obj a) {
return a; // copy constructor (a const object cannot be elided)
}
Obj f9(Obj&& a) {
return a; // copy constructor (the object is instantiated in the function)
}
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Type Deduction
When you call a template function, you may omit any template argument that
the compiler can determine or deduce (inferred) by the usage and context of
that template function call [IBM]
• The compiler tries to deduce a template argument by comparing the type of the
corresponding template parameter with the type of the argument used in the func-
tion call
• Similar to function default parameters, (any) template parameters can be deduced
only if they are at end of the parameter list
Full Story: IBM Knowledge Center
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Example
template<typename T>
int add1(T a, T b) { return a + b; }
template<typename T, typename R>
int add2(T a, R b) { return a + b; }
template<typename T, int B>
int add3(T a) { return a + B; }
template<int B, typename T>
int add4(T a) { return a + B; }
add1(1, 2); // ok
// add1(1, 2u); // the compiler expects the same type
add2(1, 2u); // ok (add2 is more generic)
add3<int, 2>(1); // "int" cannot be deduced
add4<2>(1); // ok
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Type Deduction - Pass by-Reference
Type deduction with references
template<typename T>
void f(T& a) {}
template<typename T>
void g(const T& a) {}
int x = 3;
int& y = x;
const int& z = x;
f(x); // T: int
f(y); // T: int
f(z); // T: const int // <-- !! it works...but it does not
g(x); // T: int // for "f(int& a)"!!
g(y); // T: int // (only non-const references)
g(z); // T: int // <-- note the difference
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Type Deduction - Pass by-Pointer 1/2
Type deduction with pointers
template<typename T>
void f(T* a) {}
template<typename T>
void g(const T* a) {}
int* x = nullptr;
const int* y = nullptr;
auto z = nullptr;
f(x); // T: int
f(y); // T: const int
// f(z); // compile error!! z: "nullptr_t != T*"
g(x); // T: int
g(y); // T: int <-- note the difference
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Type Deduction - Pass by-Pointer 2/2
template<typename T>
void f(const T* a) {} // pointer to const-values
template<typename T>
void g(T* const a) {} // const pointer
int* x = nullptr;
const int* y = nullptr;
int* const z = nullptr;
const int* const w = nullptr;
f(x); // T: int
f(y); // T: int
f(z); // T: int
// g(x); // compile error!! objects pointed are not constant
// g(y); // the same (the pointer itself is constant)
g(z); // T: int
g(w); // T: const int
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Type Deduction - Pass by-Value 1/2
Type deduction with values
template<typename T>
void f(T a) {}
template<typename T>
void g(const T a) {}
int x = 2;
const int y = 3;
const int& z = y;
f(x); // T: int
f(y); // T: int!! (drop const)
f(z); // T: int!! (drop const&)
g(x); // T: int
g(y); // T: int
g(z); // T: int!! (drop reference)
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Type Deduction - Pass by-Value 2/2
template<typename T>
void f(T a) {}
int* x = nullptr;
const int* y = nullptr;
int* const z = x;
f(x); // T = int*
f(y); // T = const int*
f(z); // T = int* !! (const drop)
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Type Deduction - Array
Type deduction with arrays
template<typename T, int N>
void f(T (&array)[N]) {} // type and size deduced
template<typename T>
void g(T array) {}
int x[3] = {};
const int y[3] = {};
f(x); // T: int, N: 3
f(y); // T: const int, N: 3
g(x); // T: int*
g(y); // T: const int*
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Type Deduction - Conflicts 1/2
template<typename T>
void add(T a, T b) {}
template<typename T, typename R>
void add(T a, R b) {}
template<typename T>
void add(T a, char b) {}
add(2, 3.0f); // call add(T, R)
// add(2, 3); // error!! ambiguous match
add<int>(2, 3); // call add(T, T)
add<int, int>(2, 3); // call add(T, R)
add(2, 'b'); // call add(T, char) -> nearest match
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Type Deduction - Conflicts 2/2
template<typename T, int N>
void f(T (&array)[N]) {}
template<typename T>
void f(T* array) {}
// template<typename T>
// void f(T array) {} // ambiguous
int x[3];
f(x); // call f(T*) not f(T(&)[3]) !!
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auto Deduction
• auto x = copy by-value/by-const value
• auto& x = copy by-reference/by-const-refernce
• auto* x = copy by-pointer/by-const-pointer
• auto&& x = copy by-universal reference
• decltype(auto) x = automatic type deduction
int f1(int& x) { return x; }
int& f2(int& x) { return x; }
auto f3(int& x) { return x; }
decltype(auto) f4(int& x) { return x; }
int v = 3;
int x1 = f1(v);
int& x2 = f2(v);
// int& x3 = f3(v); // compile error 'x' is copied by-value
int& x4 = f4(v);
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const Correctness
const correctness refers to guarantee object/variable const consistency throughout
its lifetime and ensuring safety from unintentional modifications
References:
• Isocpp: const-correctness
• GotW: Const-Correctness
• Abseil: Meaningful ‘const’ in Function Declarations
• const is a contract
• Why const Doesn’t Make C Code Faster
• Constant Optimization?
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Basic Rules 1/2
• const entities do not change their values at run-time. This does not imply that
they are evaluated at compile-time
• const T* is different from T* const . The first case means “the content does
not change”, while the later “the value of the pointer does not change”
• Pass by-const-value and by-value parameters imply the same function signature
• Return by-const-value and by-value have different meaning
• const cast can break const-correctness
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Basic Rules 2/2
const and member functions:
• const member functions do not change the internal status of an object
• mutable fields can be modified by a const member function (they should not
change the external view)
const and code optimization:
• const keyword purpose is for correctness (type safety), not for performance
• const may provide performance advantages in a few cases, e.g. non-trivial copy
semantic
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Function Declarations Example
void f(int);
void f(const int); // the declaration is exactly the same of
// "void f(int)"!!
void f(int*);
void f(const int*); // different declaration
void f(int&);
void f(const int&); // different declaration
int f();
// const int f(); // compile error conflicting declaration
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const Return Example
const int const_value = 3;
const int& f2() { return const_value; }
// int& f1() { return const_value; } // WRONG
int f3() { return const_value; } // ok
struct A {
void f() { cout << "non-const"; }
void f() const { cout << "const"; }
};
const A getA() { return A{}; }
auto a = getA(); // "a" is a copy
a.f(); // print "non-const"
getA().f(); // print "const"
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struct Example
struct A { // struct A_const { // equal to "const A"
int* ptr; // int* const ptr;
int value; // const int value;
}; // };
void f(A a) {
a.value = 3;
a.ptr[0] = 3;
}
void g(const A a) { // the same with g(const A&)
// a.value = 3; // compile error
a.ptr[0] = 3; // "const" does not apply to "ptr" content!!
}
A a{new int[10]};
f(a);
g(a);
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Member Functions Example
struct A {
int value = 0;
int& f1() { return value; }
const int& f2() { return value; }
// int& f3() const { return value; } // WRONG
const int& f4() const { return value; }
int f5() const { return value; } // ok
const int f6() const { return value; }
};
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