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std::optional<T>::optional

constexpr optional() noexcept;
constexpr optional( std::nullopt_t ) noexcept;
 (1) (since C++17) 
constexpr optional( const optional& other );
 (2) (since C++17) 
constexpr optional( optional&& other ) noexcept(/* see below */);
 (3) (since C++17)
(4) 
template < class U >
optional( const optional<U>& other );
 (since C++17)
(until C++20)
(conditionally explicit) 
template < class U >
constexpr optional( const optional<U>& other );
 (since C++20)
(conditionally explicit)
(5) 
template < class U >
optional( optional<U>&& other );
 (since C++17)
(until C++20)
(conditionally explicit) 
template < class U >
constexpr optional( optional<U>&& other );
 (since C++20)
(conditionally explicit) 
template< class... Args > 
constexpr explicit optional( std::in_place_t, Args&&... args );
 (6) (since C++17) 
template< class U, class... Args >
constexpr explicit optional( std::in_place_t,
                             std::initializer_list<U> ilist, 
                             Args&&... args );
 (7) (since C++17) 
template < class U = T >
constexpr optional( U&& value );
 (8) (since C++17)
(conditionally explicit)

Constructs a new optional object.

1) Constructs an object that does not contain a value.
2) Copy constructor: If other contains a value, initializes the contained value as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T with the expression *other. If other does not contain a value, constructs an object that does not contain a value. 3) Move constructor: If other contains a value, initializes the contained value as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T with the expression std::move(*other) and does not make other empty: a moved-from std::optional still contains a value, but the value itself is moved from. If other does not contain a value, constructs an object that does not contain a value. 4) Converting copy constructor: If other does not contain a value, constructs an optional object that does not contain a value. Otherwise, constructs an optional object that contains a value, initialized as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T with the expression *other. 5) Converting move constructor: If other does not contain a value, constructs an optional object that does not contain a value. Otherwise, constructs an optional object that contains a value, initialized as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T with the expression std::move(*other). 6) Constructs an optional object that contains a value, initialized as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T from the arguments std::forward<Args>(args)....
  • If the selected constructor of T is a constexpr constructor, this constructor is a constexpr constructor.
  • The function does not participate in the overload resolution unless std::is_constructible_v<T, Args...> is true.
7) Constructs an optional object that contains a value, initialized as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T from the arguments ilist, std::forward<Args>(args)....
  • If the selected constructor of T is a constexpr constructor, this constructor is a constexpr constructor.
  • The function does not participate in the overload resolution unless std::is_constructible_v<T, std::initializer_list<U>&, Args...> is true.
8) Constructs an optional object that contains a value, initialized as if direct-initializing (but not direct-list-initializing) an object of type T with the expression std::forward<U>(value).

Parameters

other - another optional object whose contained value is copied
value - value with which to initialize the contained value
args... - arguments with which to initialize the contained value
ilist - initializer list with which to initialize the contained value

Exceptions

2) Throws any exception thrown by the constructor of T.
3) Throws any exception thrown by the constructor of T. Has the following
noexcept specification:
noexcept(std::is_nothrow_move_constructible<T>::value)
4-8) Throws any exception thrown by the constructor of T.

Deduction guides

Notes

Before the resolution of LWG issue 3836, constructing an std::optional<bool> from std::optional<U> would select overload (8) instead of overloads (4,5) if U is not bool. This is because overloads (4,5) did not participate in overload resolution if T (bool in this case) can be constructed or converted from std::optional<U>, but std::optional::operator bool makes the conversion possible for any U.

As a result, the constructed std::optional<bool> always contains a value. That value is determined by whether the provided std::optional<U> object contains a value, rather than the bool value direct-initialized from the contained value:

std::optional<bool> op_false(false);
std::optional<int> op_zero(0);
 
std::optional<int> from_bool(op_false); // OK: contains 0 (initialized from false)
std::optional<bool> from_int(op_0);     // DEFECT (LWG 3836): contains true
                                        // because op_0 contains a value, even if
                                        // initializing bool from that value gives false

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <optional>
#include <string>
 
int main()
{
    std::optional<int> o1, // empty
                       o2 = 1, // init from rvalue
                       o3 = o2; // copy-constructor
 
    // calls std::string( initializer_list<CharT> ) constructor
    std::optional<std::string> o4(std::in_place, {'a', 'b', 'c'});
 
    // calls std::string( size_type count, CharT ch ) constructor
    std::optional<std::string> o5(std::in_place, 3, 'A');
 
    // Move-constructed from std::string using deduction guide to pick the type
 
    std::optional o6(std::string{"deduction"});
 
    std::cout << *o2 << ' ' << *o3 << ' ' << *o4 << ' ' << *o5  << ' ' << *o6 << '\n';
}

Output:

1 1 abc AAA deduction

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 3836 C++17 when constructing an std::optional<bool>
from std::optional<U>, the overload resolution
would select overload (8) if U is not bool 		always selects the
converting copy/move
constructor in this case
P0602R4 C++17 copy/move constructors might not be trivial
even if underlying constructor is trivial 		required to
propagate triviality
P2231R1 C++20 converting constructors from another std::optional was
not constexpr while the required operations can be in C++20 		made constexpr

See also

(C++17)
 creates an optional object
(function template)

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