std::is_base_of

Header: <type_traits>

std::is_base_of is a BinaryTypeTrait.

# Declarations

template< class Base, class Derived >
struct is_base_of;

(since C++11)

# Notes

std::is_base_of<A, B>::value is true even if A is a private, protected, or ambiguous base class of B. In many situations, std::is_convertible<B*, A*> is the more appropriate test.

Although no class is its own base, std::is_base_of<T, T>::value is true because the intent of the trait is to model the “is-a” relationship, and T is a T. Despite that, std::is_base_of<int, int>::value is false because only classes participate in the relationship that this trait models.

# Example

#include <type_traits>
 
class A {};
class B : A {};
class C : B {};
class D {};
union E {};
using I = int;
 
static_assert
(
    std::is_base_of_v<A, A> == true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<A, B> == true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<A, C> == true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<A, D> != true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<B, A> != true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<E, E> != true &&
    std::is_base_of_v<I, I> != true
);
 
int main() {}

# Defect reports

# See also

• is_virtual_base_of
• is_convertibleis_nothrow_convertible
• derived_from