std::size, std::ssize

< cpp‎ | iterator
Defined in header <array>
Defined in header <deque>
Defined in header <forward_list>
Defined in header <iterator>
Defined in header <list>
Defined in header <map>
Defined in header <regex>
Defined in header <set>
Defined in header <span>
(since C++20)
Defined in header <string>
Defined in header <string_view>
Defined in header <unordered_map>
Defined in header <unordered_set>
Defined in header <vector>
template< class C >
constexpr auto size( const C& c ) -> decltype(c.size());
 (1) (since C++17)
template< class C >

constexpr auto ssize( const C& c )
    -> std::common_type_t<std::ptrdiff_t,

                          std::make_signed_t<decltype(c.size())>>;
 (2) (since C++20)
template< class T, std::size_t N >
constexpr std::size_t size( const T (&array)[N] ) noexcept;
 (3) (since C++17)
template< class T, std::ptrdiff_t N >
constexpr std::ptrdiff_t ssize( const T (&array)[N] ) noexcept;
 (4) (since C++20)

Returns the size of the given range.

1-2) Returns c.size(), converted to the return type if necessary.
3-4) Returns N.

Parameters

c - a container or view with a size member function
array - an array of arbitrary type

Return value

The size of c or array.

Exceptions

1-2) May throw implementation-defined exceptions.

Overloads

Custom overloads of size may be provided for classes and enumerations that do not expose a suitable size() member function, yet can be detected.

Overloads of size found by argument-dependent lookup can be used to customize the behavior of std::ranges::size, std::ranges::ssize, and std::ranges::empty.

 (since C++20)

Possible implementation

size (1) 
template <class C>
constexpr auto size(const C& c) -> decltype(c.size())
{
    return c.size();
}
ssize (2) 
template <class C>
constexpr auto ssize(const C& c)
    -> std::common_type_t<std::ptrdiff_t,
                          std::make_signed_t<decltype(c.size())>>
{
    using R = std::common_type_t<std::ptrdiff_t,
                                 std::make_signed_t<decltype(c.size())>>;
    return static_cast<R>(c.size());
}
size (3) 
template <class T, std::size_t N>
constexpr std::size_t size(const T (&array)[N]) noexcept
{
    return N;
}
ssize (4) 
template <class T, std::ptrdiff_t N>
constexpr std::ptrdiff_t ssize(const T (&array)[N]) noexcept
{
    return N;
}

Notes

Feature-test macro Value Std Comment
__cpp_lib_nonmember_container_access 201411L (C++17) std::size(), std::data and std::empty
__cpp_lib_ssize 201902L (C++20) std::ssize() and unsigned std::span::size

Example

#include <cassert>
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
 
int main()
{
    // Works with containers
    std::vector<int> v{3, 1, 4};
    assert(std::size(v) == 3);
 
    // And works with built-in arrays too
    int a[]{-5, 10, 15};
    // Returns the number of elements (not bytes) as opposed to sizeof
    assert(std::size(a) == 3);
    std::cout << "size of a[]: " << sizeof a << '\n'; // 12, if sizeof(int) == 4
 
    // Provides a safe way (compared to sizeof) of getting string buffer size
    const char str[] = "12345";
    // These are fine and give the correct result
    assert(std::size(str) == 6);
    assert(sizeof(str) == 6);
 
    // But use of sizeof here is a common source of bugs
    const char* str_decayed = "12345";
    // std::cout << std::size(str_decayed) << '\n'; // Usefully fails to compile
    std::cout << sizeof(str_decayed) << '\n'; // Prints the size of the pointer!
 
    // Since C++20 the signed size (std::ssize) is available
    auto i = std::ssize(v);
    for (--i; i != -1; --i)
        std::cout << v[i] << (i ? ' ' : '\n');
    assert(i == -1);
}

Possible output:

size of a[]: 12
8
4 1 3

See also

 signed integer type returned when subtracting two pointers
(typedef)
unsigned integer type returned by the sizeof operator
(typedef)
(C++20)
 returns an integer equal to the size of a range
(customization point object)
(C++20)
 returns a signed integer equal to the size of a range
(customization point object)