C++ language

 

C++

Compiler support

Freestanding and hosted

Language

Standard library

Standard library headers

Named requirements

Feature test macros (C++20)

Language support library

Concepts library (C++20)

Diagnostics library

Memory management library

Metaprogramming library (C++11)

General utilities library

Containers library

Iterators library

Ranges library (C++20)

Algorithms library

Strings library

Text processing library

Numerics library

Date and time library

Input/output library

Filesystem library (C++17)

Concurrency support library (C++11)

Execution control library (C++26)

Technical specifications

Symbols index

External libraries

 

C++ language

General topics
Preprocessor Comments	Keywords Escape sequences
Flow control
Conditional execution statements
if	switch
Iteration statements (loops)
for range-for (C++11)	while do-while
Jump statements
continue - break	goto - return
Functions
Function declaration
Lambda function expression
inline specifier
Dynamic exception specifications (until C++17*)
noexcept specifier (C++11)
Exceptions
throw-expression try block	catch handler
Namespaces
Namespace declaration	Namespace aliases
Types
Fundamental types Enumeration types Function types	Class/struct types Union types
Specifiers
const/volatile decltype (C++11) auto (C++11)	constexpr (C++11) consteval (C++20) constinit (C++20)
Storage duration specifiers
Initialization
Default-initialization Value-initialization Zero-initialization Copy-initialization Direct-initialization	Aggregate initialization List-initialization (C++11)   Constant initialization Reference initialization

Expressions
Value categories Order of evaluation	Operators Operator precedence
Alternative representations
Literals
Boolean - Integer - Floating-point
Character - String - nullptr (C++11)
User-defined (C++11)
Utilities
Attributes (C++11)
Types
typedef declaration
Type alias declaration (C++11)
Casts
Implicit conversions static_cast const_cast	Explicit conversions dynamic_cast reinterpret_cast
Memory allocation
new expression	delete expression
Classes
Class declaration Constructors this pointer	Access specifiers friend specifier
Class-specific function properties
Virtual function override specifier (C++11)   final specifier (C++11)	explicit (C++11) static
Special member functions
Default constructor Copy constructor Move constructor (C++11)	Copy assignment Move assignment (C++11) Destructor
Templates
Class template Function template	Template specialization Parameter packs (C++11)
Miscellaneous
Inline assembly	History of C++

 

This is a reference of the core C++ language constructs.

Basic concepts Comments ASCII chart Punctuation Names and identifiers Types – Fundamental types Object – Scope – Lifetime Definitions and ODR Name lookup     qualified – unqualified (ADL) As-if rule Undefined behavior (UB) Memory – Multithread (C++11) Character sets and encodings Phases of translation The main function Modules (C++20) Contracts (C++26) Keywords Preprocessor #if - #ifdef - #ifndef - #elif #elifdef - #elifndef (C++23) #define - # - ## #include - #pragma #line - #error #warning (C++23) Expressions Value categories Evaluation order Constant expressions Operators     assignment – arithmetic     increment and decrement     logical – comparison     member access     call, comma, ternary     sizeof – alignof (C++11)     new – delete – typeid     alternative representation Default comparisons (C++20) Operator precedence Conversions     implicit – explicit     user-defined     Usual arithmetic conversions     static_cast – dynamic_cast     const_cast     reinterpret_cast Literals (Escape sequences)     boolean – integer – floating     character – string     nullptr (C++11)     user-defined (UDL) (C++11)

Declarations Conflicting declarations Storage duration and linkage Translation-unit-local (C++20) Language linkage Namespace declaration Namespace alias References – Pointers – Arrays Structured bindings (C++17) Enumerations and enumerators inline specifier Inline assembly const/volatile constexpr (C++11) consteval (C++20) constinit (C++20) decltype (C++11) auto (C++11) typedef – Type alias (C++11) Elaborated type specifiers Attributes (C++11) alignas (C++11) static_assert (C++11) Initialization Default-initialization Value-initialization Copy-initialization Direct-initialization Aggregate initialization List-initialization (C++11) Reference initialization Static non-local initialization     zero – constant Dynamic non-local initialization     ordered – unordered Copy elision (RVO) Functions Function declaration Default arguments Variadic arguments Lambda expression (C++11) Overload resolution Operator overloading Address of an overload set Coroutines (C++20) Replacement functions Statements if – switch for – range-for (C++11) while – do-while continue – break goto – return contract_assert (C++26) synchronized/atomic (TM TS)

Classes Class types – Union types injected-class-name Data members – Bit-fields Member functions – The this pointer Static members – Nested classes Derived class – using-declaration Empty base optimization (EBO) Virtual function – Abstract class (ABC) override (C++11) – final (C++11) Member access – friend Constructors and member initializer lists Default constructor – Destructor Copy constructor – Copy assignment Move constructor (C++11) Move assignment (C++11) Converting constructor explicit specifier Templates Template parameters Template arguments Class template – Function template Variable template (C++14) Class member template Template argument deduction     function – class (CTAD) (C++17) Explicit specialization – Partial specialization Packs (C++11) – sizeof... (C++11) Fold expressions (C++17) Pack indexing (C++26) Dependent names – SFINAE Constraints and concepts (C++20) Requires expression (C++20) Exceptions try block Throwing exceptions Handling exceptions Exception specification     noexcept specification (C++11)     Dynamic specification (until C++17*) noexcept operator (C++11) Miscellaneous History of C++ Extending the namespace std Acronyms: AFO, CPO, IFNDR, NDR, NTBS, NTTP, RAO, SOCCC, TMP, TU Idioms Curiously Recurring Template Pattern (CRTP) Pointer to implementation (PIMPL) Resource acquisition is initialization (RAII) Rule of three/five/zero Zero-overhead principle

See also

C documentation for language constructs