# constinit specifier (since C++20)

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  - `constinit` - asserts that a variable has static initialization, i.e. zero initialization and constant initialization, otherwise the program is ill-formed.

### Explanation

The constinit specifier declares a variable with static or thread storage duration. If a variable is declared with constinit, its initializing declaration must be applied with constinit. If a variable declared with constinit has dynamic initialization (even if it is performed as static initialization), the program is ill-formed. If no constinit declaration is reachable at the point of the initializing declaration, the program is ill-formed, no diagnostic required.

constinit cannot be used together with constexpr. When the declared variable is a reference, constinit is equivalent to `constexpr`. When the declared variable is an object, constexpr mandates that the object must have static initialization and constant destruction and makes the object const-qualified, however, constinit does not mandate constant destruction and const-qualification. As a result, an object of a type which has constexpr constructors and no constexpr destructor (e.g. std::shared_ptr<T>) might be declared with constinit but not constexpr.

    const char* g() { return "dynamic initialization"; }
    constexpr const char* f(bool p) { return p ? "constant initializer" : g(); }

    constinit const char* c = f(true);     // OK
    // constinit const char* d = f(false); // error

constinit can also be used in a non-initializing declaration to tell the compiler that a thread_local variable is already initialized, reducing overhead that would otherwise be incurred by a hidden guard variable.

    extern thread_local constinit int x;
    int f() { return x; } // no check of a guard variable needed

### Notes

Feature-test macro | Value | Std | Comment
--- | --- | --- | ---
`__cpp_constinit` | 201907L | (C++20) | constinit

### Keywords

`constinit`

### Example

| This section is incomplete Reason: no example

### Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior
--- | --- | --- | ---
CWG 2543 | C++98 | the behavior was unclear if the variable declared with constinit is dynamically initialized as part of static initialization | the program is ill- formed in this case

### See also

`consteval` specifier(C++20) | specifies that a function is an immediate function, that is, every call to the function must be in a constant evaluation
`constexpr` specifier(C++11) | specifies that the value of a variable or function can be computed at compile time
constant expression | defines an expression that can be evaluated at compile time
constant initialization | sets the initial values of the static variables to a compile-time constant
zero initialization | sets the initial value of an object to zero

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