NAME

std::basic_string::max_size - std::basic_string::max_size

Synopsis

size_type max_size() const; (until C++11)
size_type max_size() const noexcept; (since C++11)
(until C++20)
constexpr size_type max_size() const noexcept; (since C++20)

Returns the maximum number of elements the string is able to hold due to system or
library implementation limitations, i.e. std::distance(begin(), end()) for the
largest string.

Parameters

(none)

Return value

Maximum number of characters.

Complexity

Constant.

Example

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <climits>

int main()
{
std::string s;
std::cout
<< "Maximum size of a string is " << s.max_size() << " ("
<< std::hex << std::showbase << s.max_size()
<< "), pointer size: " << std::dec
<< CHAR_BIT*sizeof(void*) << " bits\n";
}

Possible output:

Maximum size of a string is 9223372036854775807 (0x7fffffffffffffff), pointer size: 64 bits

See also

size returns the number of characters
length (public member function)
max_size returns the maximum number of characters
(C++17) (public member function of std::basic_string_view<CharT,Traits>)