NAME

std::remove_pointer - std::remove_pointer

Synopsis

Defined in header <type_traits>
template< class T > (since C++11)
struct remove_pointer;

Provides the member typedef type which is the type pointed to by T, or, if T is not
a pointer, then type is the same as T.

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

Member types

Name Definition
type the type pointed to by T or T if it's not a pointer

Helper types

template< class T > (since C++14)
using remove_pointer_t = typename remove_pointer<T>::type;

Possible implementation

template< class T > struct remove_pointer {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_pointer<T*> {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_pointer<T* const> {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_pointer<T* volatile> {typedef T type;};
template< class T > struct remove_pointer<T* const volatile> {typedef T type;};

Example

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>

template<class T1, class T2>
void print_is_same()
{
std::cout << std::is_same<T1, T2>() << '\n';
}

void print_separator()
{
std::cout << "-----\n";
}

int main()
{
std::cout << std::boolalpha;

print_is_same<int, int>(); // true
print_is_same<int, int*>(); // false
print_is_same<int, int**>(); // false

print_separator();

print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int>::type>(); // true
print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int*>::type>(); // true
print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int**>::type>(); // false

print_separator();

print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int* const>::type>(); // true
print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int* volatile>::type>(); // true
print_is_same<int, std::remove_pointer<int* const volatile>::type>(); // true
}

Output:

true
false
false
-----
true
true
false
-----
true
true
true