Functions in C++

Lambda Capture Initializers

This allows creating lambda captures initialized with arbitrary expressions. The name given to the captured value does not need to be related to any variables in the enclosing scopes and introduces a new name inside the lambda body. The initializing expression is evaluated when the lambda is created (not when it is invoked).

int factory(int i) { return i * 10; }
auto f = [x = factory(2)] { return x; }; // returns 20

auto generator = [x = 0] () mutable {
  // this would not compile without 'mutable' as we are modifying x on each call
  return x++;
};
auto a = generator(); // == 0
auto b = generator(); // == 1
auto c = generator(); // == 2

Because it is now possible to move (or forward) values into a lambda that could previously be only captured by copy or reference we can now capture move-only types in a lambda by value. Note that in the below example the p in the capture-list of task2 on the left-hand-side of = is a new variable private to the lambda body and does not refer to the original p.

auto p = std::make_unique<int>(1);

auto task1 = [=] { *p = 5; }; // ERROR: std::unique_ptr cannot be copied
// vs.
auto task2 = [p = std::move(p)] { *p = 5; }; // OK: p is move-constructed into the closure object
// the original p is empty after task2 is created

Using this reference-captures can have different names than the referenced variable.

auto x = 1;
auto f = [&r = x, x = x * 10] {
  ++r;
  return r + x;
};
f(); // sets x to 2 and returns 12

Return type deduction

Using an auto return type in C++14, the compiler will attempt to deduce the type for you. With lambdas, you can now deduce its return type using auto, which makes returning a deduced reference or rvalue reference possible.

// Deduce return type as `int`.
auto f(int i) {
 return i;
}
template <typename T>
auto& f(T& t) {
  return t;
}

// Returns a reference to a deduced type.
auto g = [](auto& x) -> auto& { return f(x); };
int y = 123;
int& z = g(y); // reference to `y`

Generic lambda expressions

C++14 allows the auto type-specifier in the parameter list, enabling polymorphic lambdas.

auto identity = [](auto x) { return x; };
int three = identity(3); // == 3
std::string foo = identity("foo"); // == "foo"

Parameters

fn

A function object, pointer to function or pointer to member.

fn shall have a decay type which is move-constructible from fn.

args...

List of arguments to bind: either values, or placeholders.

The types in args... shall have decay types which are move-constructible from their respective arguments in args....

If for any argument, its decay type is a reference_wrapper, it bounds to its referenced value instead.

Return Value

A function object that, when called, calls fn with its arguments bound to args.

If fn is a pointer to member, the first argument expected by the returned function is an object of the class *fn is a member (or a reference to it, or a pointer to it).

Example

#include <iostream>     // std::cout
#include <functional>   // std::bind

// a function: (also works with function object: std::divides<double> my_divide;)
double my_divide (double x, double y) {return x/y;}

struct MyPair {
  double a,b;
  double multiply() {return a*b;}
};

int main () {
  using namespace std::placeholders;    // adds visibility of _1, _2, _3,...

  // binding functions:
  auto fn_five = std::bind (my_divide,10,2);               // returns 10/2
  std::cout << fn_five() << '\n';                          // 5

  auto fn_half = std::bind (my_divide,_1,2);               // returns x/2
  std::cout << fn_half(10) << '\n';                        // 5

  auto fn_invert = std::bind (my_divide,_2,_1);            // returns y/x
  std::cout << fn_invert(10,2) << '\n';                    // 0.2

  auto fn_rounding = std::bind<int> (my_divide,_1,_2);     // returns int(x/y)
  std::cout << fn_rounding(10,3) << '\n';                  // 3

  MyPair ten_two {10,2};

  // binding members:
  auto bound_member_fn = std::bind (&MyPair::multiply,_1); // returns x.multiply()
  std::cout << bound_member_fn(ten_two) << '\n';           // 20

  auto bound_member_data = std::bind (&MyPair::a,ten_two); // returns ten_two.a
  std::cout << bound_member_data() << '\n';                // 10

  return 0;
}

Output:

5
5
0.2
3
20
10