Non-static member functions

A non-static member function is a function that is declared in a member specification of a class without a static or friend specifier.

class S {
    int mf1(); // non-static member function declaration
    void mf2() volatile, mf3() &&; // can be cv-qualified and reference-qualified
    int mf4() const { return data; } // can be defined inline
    virtual void mf5() final; // can be virtual, can use final/override
    S() : data(12) {} // constructors are member functions too
    int data;
};
int S::mf1() { return 7; } // if not defined inline, has to be defined at namespace

Any function declarations are allowed, with additional syntax elements that are only available for non-static member functions: final and override specifiers, pure-specifiers, cv-qualifiers, ref-qualifiers, and member initialization lists.

A non-static member function of class X may be called.

Calling a member function of class X on an object of any other type invokes undefined behavior.

Within the body of a non-static member function of X, any id-expression E (e.g. an identifier) that resolves to a non-type non-static member of X or of a base class of X, is transformed to a member access expression (*this).E (unless it's already a part of a member access expression). This does not occur in template definition context, so a name may have to be prefixed with this-> explicitly to become dependent.

struct S {
    int n;
    void f();
};
void S::f() {
    n = 1; // transformed to (*this).n = 1;
}
int main() {
    S s1, s2;
    s1.f(); // changes s1.n
}

Within the body of a non-static member function of X, any unqualified-id that resolves to a static member, an enumerator or a nested type of X or of a base class of X, is transformed to the corresponding qualified-id.

struct S {
    static int n;
    void f();
};
void S::f() {
    n = 1; // transformed to S::n = 1;
}
int main() {
    S s1, s2;
    s1.f(); // changes S::n
}

const-, volatile-, and ref-qualified member functions

A non-static member function can be declared with a const, volatile, or const volatile qualifier (this qualifier appears after the parameter list in the function declaration). Differently cv-qualified functions have different types and so may overload each other.

In the body of a cv-qualified function, the this pointer is cv-qualified, e.g. in a const member function, only other const member functions may be called normally. (A non-const member function may still be called if const_cast is applied or through an access path that does not involve this.).

#include <vector>
struct Array {
    std::vector<int> data;
    Array(int sz) : data(sz) {}
    // const member function
    int operator[](int idx) const {
                          // this has type const Array*
        return data[idx]; // transformed to (*this).data[idx];
    }
    // non-const member function
    int& operator[](int idx) {
                          // this has type Array*
        return data[idx]; // transformed to (*this).data[idx]
    }
};
int main()
{
    Array a(10);
    a[1] = 1; // OK: the type of a[1] is int&
    const Array ca(10);
    ca[1] = 2; // Error: the type of ca[1] is int
}

#include <iostream>
struct S {
    void f() & { std::cout << "lvalue\n"; }
    void f() &&{ std::cout << "rvalue\n"; }
};
 
int main(){
    S s;
    s.f();            // prints "lvalue"
    std::move(s).f(); // prints "rvalue"
    S().f();          // prints "rvalue"
}

Virtual and pure virtual functions

A non-static member function may be declared virtual or pure virtual. See virtual functions and abstract classes for details.

Special member functions

constructors and destructors are non-static member functions that use a special syntax for their declarations (see their pages for details).

Some member functions are special: under certain circumstances they are defined by the compiler even if not defined by the user. They are:

• Default constructor
• Copy constructor
• Move constructor (since C++11)
• Copy assignment operator
• Move assignment operator (since C++11)
• Destructor

Special member functions along with the comparison operators (since C++20) are the only functions that can be defaulted, that is, defined using = default instead of the function body (see their pages for details).

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <utility>
#include <exception>
 
struct S {
    int data;
 
    // simple converting constructor (declaration)
    S(int val);
 
    // simple explicit constructor (declaration)
    explicit S(std::string str);
 
    // const member function (definition)
    virtual int getData() const { return data; }
 
};
 
// definition of the constructor
S::S(int val) : data(val) {
    std::cout << "ctor1 called, data = " << data << '\n';
}
 
// this constructor has a catch clause
S::S(std::string str) try : data(std::stoi(str)) {
    std::cout << "ctor2 called, data = " << data << '\n';
} catch(const std::exception&) {
    std::cout << "ctor2 failed, string was '" << str << "'\n";
    throw; // ctor's catch clause should always rethrow
}
 
struct D : S {
    int data2;
    // constructor with a default argument
    D(int v1, int v2 = 11) : S(v1), data2(v2) {}
 
    // virtual member function
    int getData() const override { return data*data2; }
 
    // lvalue-only assignment operator
    D& operator=(D other) & {
        std::swap(other.data, data);
        std::swap(other.data2, data2);
        return *this;
    }
};
 
int main()
{
    D d1 = 1;
    S s2("2");
    try {
         S s3("not a number");
    } catch(const std::exception&) {}
    std::cout << s2.getData() << '\n';
 
   D d2(3, 4);
   d2 = d1; // OK: assignment to lvalue
//   D(5) = d1; // ERROR: no suitable overload of operator=
}

ctor1 called, data = 1
ctor2 called, data = 2
ctor2 failed, string was 'not a number'
2
ctor1 called, data = 3

See also

• classes
• data members
• static data members