std::remove_reference

< cpp‎ | types
Defined in header <type_traits>
template< class T >
struct remove_reference;
 (since C++11)

If the type T is a reference type, provides the member typedef type which is the type referred to by T. Otherwise type is T.

The behavior of a program that adds specializations for remove_reference is undefined.

Member types

Name Definition
type the type referred by T or T if it is not a reference

Helper types

template< class T >
using remove_reference_t = typename remove_reference<T>::type;
 (since C++14)

Possible implementation

template< class T > struct remove_reference      {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_reference<T&>  {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_reference<T&&> {typedef T type;};

Example

#include <iostream> // std::cout
#include <type_traits> // std::is_same
 
template<class T1, class T2>
void print_is_same() {
  std::cout << std::is_same<T1, T2>() << '\n';
}
 
int main() {
  std::cout << std::boolalpha;
 
  print_is_same<int, int>();
  print_is_same<int, int &>();
  print_is_same<int, int &&>();
 
  print_is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int>::type>();
  print_is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int &>::type>();
  print_is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int &&>::type>();
}

Output:

true
false
false
true
true
true

See also

(C++11)
 checks if a type is either a lvalue reference or rvalue reference
(class template)
(C++11)(C++11)
 adds a lvalue or rvalue reference to the given type
(class template)
(C++20)
 combines std::remove_cv and std::remove_reference
(class template)