17.2 — std::array length and indexing

In lesson 16.3 -- std::vector and the unsigned length and subscript problem, we discussed the unfortunate decision to make the standard library container classes use unsigned values for lengths and indices. Because std::array is a standard library container class, it is subject to the same issues.

In this lesson, we’ll recap ways to index and get the length of a std::array. Because std::vector and std::array have similar interfaces, this will parallel the what we covered for std::vector. But since only std::array has full support for constexpr, we’ll focus a little more on that.

Before proceeding, now would be a good time to refresh your memory on “sign conversions are narrowing conversions, except when constexpr” (see 16.3 -- std::vector and the unsigned length and subscript problem).

The length of a std::array has type std::size_t

std::array is implemented as a template struct whose declaration looks like this:

template<typename T, std::size_t N> // N is a non-type template parameter
struct array;

As you can see, the non-type template parameter representing the array length (N) has type std::size_t. And as you’re probably aware by now, std::size_t is a large unsigned integral type.

Thus, when we define a std::array, the length non-type template argument must either have type std::size_t, or be convertible to a value of type std::size_t. Because this value must be constexpr, we don’t run into sign conversion issues when we use a signed integral value, as the compiler will happily convert a signed integral value to a std::size_t at compile-time without it being considered a narrowing conversion.

The length and indices of std::array have type size_type, which is always std::size_t

Just like a std::vector, std::array defines a nested typedef member named size_type, which is an alias for the type used for the length (and indices, if supported) of the container. In the case of std::array, size_type is always an alias for std::size_t.

Note that the non-type template parameter defining the length of the std::array is explicitly defined as std::size_t rather than size_type. This is because size_type is a member of std::array, and isn’t defined at that point. This is the only place that uses std::size_t explicitly -- everywhere else uses size_type.

Getting the length of a std::array

There are three common ways to get the length of a std::array object.

First, we can ask a std::array object for its length using the size() member function (which returns the length as unsigned size_type):

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    constexpr std::array arr { 9.0, 7.2, 5.4, 3.6, 1.8 };
    std::cout << "length: " << arr.size() << '\n'; // returns length as type `size_type` (alias for `std::size_t`)
    return 0;
}

This prints:

length: 5

Unlike std::string and std::string_view, which have both a length() and a size() member function (that do the same thing), std::array (and most other container types in C++) only have size().

Second, in C++17, we can use the std::size() non-member function (which for std::array just calls the size() member function, thus returning the length as unsigned size_type).

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    constexpr std::array arr{ 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 };
    std::cout << "length: " << std::size(arr); // C++17, returns length as type `size_type` (alias for `std::size_t`)

    return 0;
}

Finally, in C++20, we can use the std::ssize() non-member function, which returns the length as a large signed integral type (usuallystd::ptrdiff_t):

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    constexpr std::array arr { 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 };
    std::cout << "length: " << std::ssize(arr); // C++20, returns length as a large signed integral type

    return 0;
}

This is the only function of the three which returns the length as a signed type.

Getting the length of a std::array as a constexpr value

Because the length of a std::array is constexpr, each of the above functions will return the length of a std::array as a constexpr value (even when called on a non-constexpr std::array object)! This means we can use any of these functions in constant expressions, and the length returned can be implicitly converted to an int without it being a narrowing conversion:

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::array arr { 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 }; // note: not constexpr for this example
    constexpr int length{ std::size(arr) }; // ok: return value is constexpr std::size_t and can be converted to int, not a narrowing conversion

    std::cout << "length: " << length << '\n';

    return 0;
}

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

void foo(const std::array<int, 5> &arr)
{
    constexpr int length{ std::size(arr) }; // compile error!
    std::cout << "length: " << length << '\n';
}

int main()
{
    std::array arr { 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 };
    constexpr int length{ std::size(arr) }; // works just fine
    std::cout << "length: " << length << '\n';

    foo(arr);

    return 0;
}

Subscripting std::array using operator[] or the at() member function

In the prior lesson 17.1 -- Introduction to std::array, we covered that the most common way to index a std::array is to use the subscript operator (operator[]). No bounds checking is done in this case, and passing in an invalid index will result in undefined behavior.

Just like std::vector, std::array also has an at() member function that does subscripting with runtime bounds checking. We recommend avoiding this function since we typically want to do bounds checking before indexing, or we want compile-time bounds checking.

Both of these functions expect the index to be of type size_type (std::size_t).

If either of these functions are called with a constexpr value, the compiler will do a constexpr conversion to std::size_t. This isn’t considered to be a narrowing conversion, so you won’t run into sign problems here.

However, if either of these functions are called with a non-constexpr signed integral value, the conversion to std::size_t is considered narrowing and you compiler may emit a warning. We discuss this case further (using std::vector) in lesson 16.3 -- std::vector and the unsigned length and subscript problem.

std::get() does compile-time bounds checking for constexpr indices

Since the length of a std::array is constexpr, if our index is also a constexpr value, then the compiler should be able to validate at compile-time that our constexpr index is within the bounds of the array (and stop compilation if the constexpr index is out of bounds).

However, operator[] does no bounds checking by definition, and the at() member function only does runtime bounds checking. And function parameters can’t be constexpr (even for constexpr or consteval functions), so how do we even pass a constexpr index?

To get compile-time bounds checking when we have a constexpr index, we can use the std::get() function template, which takes the index as a non-type template argument:

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    constexpr std::array prime{ 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 };

    std::cout << std::get<3>(prime); // print the value of element with index 3
    std::cout << std::get<9>(prime); // invalid index (compile error)

    return 0;
}

Inside the implementation of std::get(), there is a static_assert that checks to ensure that the non-type template argument is smaller than the array length. If it isn’t, then the static_assert will halt the compilation process with compilation error.

Since template arguments must be constexpr, std::get() can only be called with constexpr indices.

Quiz time

Question #1

Initialize a std::array with the following values: ‘h’, ‘e’, ‘l’, ‘l’, ‘o’. Print the length of the array, and then use operator[], at() and std::get() to print the value of the element with index 1.

The program should print:

The length is 5
eee

Show Solution

#include <array>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    constexpr std::array arr { 'h', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o' };
    std::cout << "The length is " << std::size(arr) << '\n';
    std::cout << arr[1] << arr.at(1) << std::get<1>(arr) << '\n';

    return 0;
}