NAME¶

std::is_signed - std::is_signed

Synopsis¶

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

std::is_signed is a UnaryTypeTrait.

If T is an arithmetic type, provides the member constant value equal to true if
T(-1) < T(0): this results in true for the floating-point types and the signed
integer types, and in false for the unsigned integer types and the type bool.

For any other type, value is false.

If the program adds specializations for std::is_signed or std::is_signed_v, the
behavior is undefined.

Template parameters¶

T - a type to check

Helper variable template

template< class T > (since C++17)
inline constexpr bool is_signed_v = is_signed<T>::value;

Inherited from std::integral_constant

Member constants¶

value true if T is a signed arithmetic type, false otherwise
[static] (public static member constant)

Member functions¶

operator bool converts the object to bool, returns value
(public member function)
operator() returns value
(C++14) (public member function)

Member types¶

Type Definition
value_type bool
type std::integral_constant<bool, value>

Possible implementation¶

namespace detail
{
template<typename T, bool = std::is_arithmetic<T>::value>
struct is_signed : std::integral_constant<bool, T(-1) < T(0)> {};

template<typename T>
struct is_signed<T, false> : std::false_type {};
}

template<typename T>
struct is_signed : detail::is_signed<T>::type {};

Example¶

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>

class A {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<A> == false);

class B { int i; };
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<B> == false);

enum C : int {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<C> == false);

enum class D : int {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<D> == false);

static_assert(
std::is_signed<signed int>::value == true and // C++11
std::is_signed<signed int>() == true and // C++11
std::is_signed<signed int>{} == true and // C++11
std::is_signed_v<signed int> == true and // C++17
std::is_signed_v<unsigned int> == false and
std::is_signed_v<float> == true and
std::is_signed_v<bool> == false and
std::is_signed_v<signed char> == true and
std::is_signed_v<unsigned char> == false
);

int main()
{
// signedness of char is implementation-defined:
std::cout << std::boolalpha << std::is_signed_v<char> << '\n';
}

Possible output:¶

true

See also¶

is_unsigned checks if a type is an unsigned arithmetic type
(C++11) (class template)
is_signed identifies signed types
[static] (public static member constant of std::numeric_limits<T>)
is_arithmetic checks if a type is an arithmetic type
(C++11) (class template)
make_signed makes the given integral type signed
(C++11) (class template)
make_unsigned makes the given integral type unsigned
(C++11) (class template)