std::is_base_of (3) - Linux Manuals

std::is_base_of: std::is_base_of

NAME

std::is_base_of - std::is_base_of

Synopsis

Defined in header <type_traits>
template< class Base, class Derived > (since C++11)
struct is_base_of;

If Derived is derived from Base or if both are the same non-union class (in both cases ignoring cv-qualification), provides the member constant value equal to true. Otherwise value is false.
If both Base and Derived are non-union class types, and they are not the same type (ignoring cv-qualification), Derived shall be a complete_type; otherwise the behavior is undefined.

Helper variable template

template< class Base, class Derived > (since C++17)
inline constexpr bool is_base_of_v = is_base_of<Base, Derived>::value;

Inherited from std::integral_constant

Member constants

value true if Derived is derived from Base or if both are the same non-union class (in both cases ignoring cv-qualification), false otherwise
         (public static member constant)
[static]

Member functions

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

operator() returns value
              (public member function)
(C++14)

Member types

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

Notes

std::is_base_of<A, B>::value is true even if A is a private, protected, or ambiguous base class of B. In many situations, std::is_convertible<B*, A*> is the more appropriate test.
Although no class is its own base, std::is_base_of<T, T>::value is true because the intent of the trait is to model the "is-a" relationship, and T is a T. Despite that, std::is_base_of<int, int>::value is false because only classes participate in the relationship that this trait models.

Possible Implementation

  namespace details {
      template <typename Base> std::true_type is_base_of_test_func(const volatile Base*);
      template <typename Base> std::false_type is_base_of_test_func(const volatile void*);
      template <typename Base, typename Derived>
      using pre_is_base_of = decltype(is_base_of_test_func<Base>(std::declval<Derived*>()));

      // with <experimental/type_traits>:
      // template <typename Base, typename Derived>
      // using pre_is_base_of2 = std::experimental::detected_or_t<std::true_type, pre_is_base_of, Base, Derived>;
      template <typename Base, typename Derived, typename = void>
      struct pre_is_base_of2 : public std::true_type { };
      // note std::void_t is a C++17 feature
      template <typename Base, typename Derived>
      struct pre_is_base_of2<Base, Derived, std::void_t<pre_is_base_of<Base, Derived>>> :
          public pre_is_base_of<Base, Derived> { };
  }

  template <typename Base, typename Derived>
  struct is_base_of :
      public std::conditional_t<
          std::is_class<Base>::value && std::is_class<Derived>::value,
          details::pre_is_base_of2<Base, Derived>,
          std::false_type
      > { };

Example

// Run this code

  #include <iostream>
  #include <type_traits>

  class A {};

  class B : A {};

  class C {};

  int main()
  {
      std::cout << std::boolalpha;
      std::cout << "a2b: " << std::is_base_of<A, B>::value << '\n';
      std::cout << "b2a: " << std::is_base_of<B, A>::value << '\n';
      std::cout << "c2b: " << std::is_base_of<C, B>::value << '\n';
      std::cout << "same type: " << std::is_base_of<C, C>::value << '\n';
  }

Output:

  a2b: true
  b2a: false
  c2b: false
  same type: true