std::exchange

Defined in header `<utility>`
template< class T, class U = T > T exchange( T& obj, U&& new_value );		(since C++14) (until C++20)
template< class T, class U = T > constexpr T exchange( T& obj, U&& new_value );		(since C++20)

Replaces the value of obj with new_value and returns the old value of obj.

Parameters

obj	-	object whose value to replace
new_value	-	the value to assign to `obj`
Type requirements
- `T` must meet the requirements of MoveConstructible. Also, it must be possible to move-assign objects of type `U` to objects of type `T`

Return value

The old value of obj

Exceptions

(none)

Possible implementation

template<class T, class U = T>
T exchange(T& obj, U&& new_value)
{
    T old_value = std::move(obj);
    obj = std::forward<U>(new_value);
    return old_value;
}

Notes

This function can be used when implementing move assignment operators and move constructors:

struct S
{
  int* p;
  int n;

  S(S&& other)
    :p{std::exchange(other.p, nullptr)}
    ,n{std::exchange(other.n, 0)}
  {}

  S& operator=(S&& other) {
    p = std::exchange(other.p, nullptr); // move p, while leaving nullptr in other.p
    n = std::exchange(other.n, 0); // move n, while leaving zero in other.n
    return *this;
  }
};

Example

Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <utility>
#include <vector>
#include <iterator>

class stream
{
  public:

   using flags_type = int;

  public:

    flags_type flags() const
    { return flags_; }

    ///Replaces flags_ by newf, and returns the old value.
    flags_type flags(flags_type newf)
    { return std::exchange(flags_, newf); }

  private:

    flags_type flags_ = 0;
};

void f() { std::cout << "f()"; }

int main()
{
   stream s;

   std::cout << s.flags() << '\n';
   std::cout << s.flags(12) << '\n';
   std::cout << s.flags() << "\n\n";

   std::vector<int> v;

   //Since the second template parameter has a default value, it is possible
   //to use a braced-init-list as second argument. The expression below
   //is equivalent to std::exchange(v, std::vector<int>{1,2,3,4});

   std::exchange(v, {1,2,3,4});

   std::copy(begin(v),end(v), std::ostream_iterator<int>(std::cout,", "));

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

   void (*fun)();

   //the default value of template parameter also makes possible to use a
   //normal function as second argument. The expression below is equivalent to
   //std::exchange(fun, static_cast<void(*)()>(f))
   std::exchange(fun,f);
   fun();
}

Output:

0
0
12

1, 2, 3, 4, 

f()

Language
Headers
Freestanding and hosted implementations
Named requirements
Language support library
Concepts library (C++20)
Diagnostics library
Utilities library
Strings library
Containers library
Algorithms library
Iterators library
Numerics library
Input/output library
Localizations library
Regular expressions library (C++11)
Atomic operations library (C++11)
Thread support library (C++11)
Filesystem library (C++17)
Technical Specifications

swap	swaps the values of two objects (function template)
atomic_exchangeatomic_exchange_explicit (C++11)(C++11)	atomically replaces the value of the atomic object with non-atomic argument and returns the old value of the atomic (function template)