# std::exchange

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< cpp‎ | utility

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) (until C++23)
template< class T, class U = T > constexpr T exchange( T& obj, U&& new_value ) noexcept(/* see below */); |  | (since C++23)

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) | (until C++23)
`noexcept` specification: noexcept( std::is_nothrow_move_constructible_v<T> && std::is_nothrow_assignable_v<T&, U> ) | (since C++23)

### Possible implementation

    template<class T, class U = T>
    constexpr // since C++20
    T exchange(T& obj, U&& new_value)
        noexcept( // since C++23
            std::is_nothrow_move_constructible<T>::value &&
            std::is_nothrow_assignable<T&, U>::value
        )
    {
        T old_value = std::move(obj);
        obj = std::forward<U>(new_value);
        return old_value;
    }

### Notes

The `std::exchange` can be used when implementing move assignment operators and move constructors:

    struct S
    {
        int n;

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

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

Feature-test macro | Value | Std | Comment
--- | --- | --- | ---
`__cpp_lib_exchange_function` | 201304L | (C++14) | `std::exchange`

### Example

Run this code

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

    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();

        std::cout << "\n\nFibonacci sequence: ";
        for (int a{0}, b{1}; a < 100; a = std::exchange(b, a + b))
            std::cout << a << ", ";
        std::cout << "...\n";
    }

Output:

    0
    0
    12

    1, 2, 3, 4,

    f()

    Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, ...

### See also

swap | swaps the values of two objects (function template)
atomic_exchange atomic_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)

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