NAME

std::remove_reference - std::remove_reference

Synopsis

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

If the type T is a reference type, provides the member typedef type which is the
type referred to by T. Otherwise type is T.

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

Member types

Name Definition
type the type referred by T or T if it is not a reference

Helper types

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

Possible implementation

template< class T > struct remove_reference { typedef T type; };
template< class T > struct remove_reference<T&> { typedef T type; };
template< class T > struct remove_reference<T&&> { typedef T type; };

Example

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>

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

std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int>::type is int? "
<< std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int>::type>::value << '\n';
std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int&>::type is int? "
<< std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int&>::type>::value << '\n';
std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int&&>::type is int? "
<< std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int&&>::type>::value << '\n';
std::cout << "std::remove_reference<const int&>::type is const int? "
<< std::is_same<const int,
std::remove_reference<const int&>::type>::value << '\n';
}

Output:

std::remove_reference<int>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<int&>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<int&&>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<const int&>::type is const int? true

See also

is_reference checks if a type is either a lvalue reference or rvalue
(C++11) reference
(class template)
add_lvalue_reference
add_rvalue_reference adds a lvalue or rvalue reference to the given type
(C++11) (class template)
(C++11)
remove_cvref combines std::remove_cv and std::remove_reference
(C++20) (class template)