16 Library introduction [library]

16.4 Library-wide requirements [requirements]

16.4.4 Requirements on types and expressions [utility.requirements]

16.4.4.4 Cpp17NullablePointer requirements [nullablepointer.requirements]

A Cpp17NullablePointer type is a pointer-like type that supports null values.
A type P meets the Cpp17NullablePointer requirements if:
  • P meets the Cpp17EqualityComparable, Cpp17DefaultConstructible, Cpp17CopyConstructible, Cpp17CopyAssignable, Cpp17Swappable, and Cpp17Destructible requirements,
  • the expressions shown in Table 36 are valid and have the indicated semantics, and
  • P meets all the other requirements of this subclause.
A value-initialized object of type P produces the null value of the type.
The null value shall be equivalent only to itself.
A default-initialized object of type P may have an indeterminate value.
[Note 1: 
Operations involving indeterminate values can cause undefined behavior.
— end note]
An object p of type P can be contextually converted to bool.
The effect shall be as if p != nullptr had been evaluated in place of p.
No operation which is part of the Cpp17NullablePointer requirements shall exit via an exception.
In Table 36, u denotes an identifier, t denotes a non-const lvalue of type P, a and b denote values of type (possibly const) P, and np denotes a value of type (possibly const) std​::​nullptr_t.
Table 36: Cpp17NullablePointer requirements [tab:cpp17.nullablepointer]
Expression
Return type
Operational semantics
P u(np);
Postconditions: u == nullptr
P u = np;
P(np)
Postconditions: P(np) == nullptr
t = np
P&
Postconditions: t == nullptr
a != b
decltype(a != b) models boolean-testable
!(a == b)
a == np
decltype(a == np) and decltype(np == a) each model boolean-testable
a == P()
np == a
a != np
decltype(a != np) and decltype(np != a) each model boolean-testable
!(a == np)
np != a