NAME

std::aligned_union - std::aligned_union

Synopsis

Defined in header <type_traits>
template< std::size_t Len, class... Types > (since C++11)
struct aligned_union; (deprecated in C++23)

Provides the nested type type, which is a trivial standard-layout type of a size and
alignment suitable for use as uninitialized storage for an object of any of the
types listed in Types. The size of the storage is at least Len. std::aligned_union
also determines the strictest (largest) alignment requirement among all Types and
makes it available as the constant alignment_value.

If sizeof...(Types) == 0 or if any of the types in Types is not a complete object
type, the behavior is undefined.

It is implementation-defined whether any extended alignment is supported.

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

Member types

Name Definition
type a trivial and standard-layout type suitable for storage of any type from Types

Helper types

template< std::size_t Len, class... Types > (since C++14)
using aligned_union_t = typename (deprecated in C++23)
aligned_union<Len,Types...>::type;

Member constants

alignment_value the strictest alignment requirement of all Types
[static] (public static member constant)

Possible implementation

#include <algorithm>
template <std::size_t Len, class... Types>
struct aligned_union
{
static constexpr std::size_t alignment_value = std::max({alignof(Types)...});

struct type
{
alignas(alignment_value) char _s[std::max({Len, sizeof(Types)...})];
};
};

Example

// Run this code

#include <type_traits>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main()
{
std::cout
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<0, char>) << ' ' // 1
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<2, char>) << ' ' // 2
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<2, char[3]>) << ' ' // 3 (!)
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<3, char[4]>) << ' ' // 4
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<1, char, int, double>) << ' ' // 8
<< sizeof(std::aligned_union_t<12, char, int, double>) << '\n'; // 16 (!)

using var_t = std::aligned_union<16, int, std::string>;

std::cout
<< "var_t::alignment_value = " << var_t::alignment_value << '\n'
<< "sizeof(var_t::type) = " << sizeof(var_t::type) << '\n';

var_t::type aligned_storage;
int* int_ptr = new(&aligned_storage) int(42); // placement new
std::cout << "*int_ptr = " << *int_ptr << '\n';

std::string* string_ptr = new(&aligned_storage) std::string("bar");
std::cout << "*string_ptr = " << *string_ptr << '\n';
*string_ptr = "baz";
std::cout << "*string_ptr = " << *string_ptr << '\n';
string_ptr->~basic_string();
}

Possible output:

1 2 3 4 8 16
var_t::alignment_value = 8
sizeof(var_t::type) = 32
*int_ptr = 42
*string_ptr = bar
*string_ptr = baz

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to
previously published C++ standards.

DR Applied to Behavior as published Correct behavior
LWG 2979 C++11 complete type wasn't required requires complete types