std::ref, std::cref

Header: <functional>

Function templates ref and cref are helper functions that generate an object of type std::reference_wrapper, using template argument deduction to determine the template argument of the result.

# Declarations

template< class T >
std::reference_wrapper<T> ref( T& t ) noexcept;

(since C++11) (constexpr since C++20)

template< class T >
std::reference_wrapper<T>
ref( std::reference_wrapper<T> t ) noexcept;

(since C++11) (constexpr since C++20)

template< class T >
void ref( const T&& ) = delete;

(since C++11)

template< class T >
std::reference_wrapper<const T> cref( const T& t ) noexcept;

(since C++11) (constexpr since C++20)

template< class T >
std::reference_wrapper<const T>
cref( std::reference_wrapper<T> t ) noexcept;

(since C++11) (constexpr since C++20)

template< class T >
void cref( const T&& ) = delete;

(since C++11)

# Parameters

# Example

#include <functional>
#include <iostream>
 
void f(int& n1, int& n2, const int& n3)
{
    std::cout << "In function: " << n1 << ' ' << n2 << ' ' << n3 << '\n';
    ++n1; // increments the copy of n1 stored in the function object
    ++n2; // increments the main()'s n2
    // ++n3; // compile error
}
 
int main()
{
    int n1 = 1, n2 = 2, n3 = 3;
    std::function<void()> bound_f = std::bind(f, n1, std::ref(n2), std::cref(n3));
    n1 = 10;
    n2 = 11;
    n3 = 12;
    std::cout << "Before function: " << n1 << ' ' << n2 << ' ' << n3 << '\n';
    bound_f();
    std::cout << "After function: " << n1 << ' ' << n2 << ' ' << n3 << '\n';
}

# Defect reports

DRApplied toBehavior as publishedCorrect behavior
LWG 3146C++11unwrapping overloads sometimes led to errormade always valid

# See also