CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++stdstring
beauxq
beauxq

Reputation: 1286

Is it bad to depend on index 0 of an empty std::string?

std::string my_string = "";
char test = my_string[0];

I've noticed that this doesn't crash, and every time I've tested it, test is 0.

Can I depend on it always being 0? or is it arbitrary?

Is this bad programming?

Edit: From some comments, I gather that there is some misunderstanding about the usefulness of this.

The purpose of this is NOT to check to see if the string is empty. It is to not need to check whether the string is empty.

The situation is that there is a string that may or may not be empty. I only care about the first character of this string (if it is not empty).

It seems to me, it would be less efficient to check to see if the string is empty, and then, if it isn't empty, look at the first character.

if (! my_string.empty())
    test = my_string[0];
else
    test = 0;

Instead, I can just look at the first character without needing to check to see if the string is empty.

test = my_string[0];

Upvotes: 50

Views: 3724

Answers (2)

einpoklum
einpoklum

Reputation: 132148

@Bartek Banachewicz's answer explains which circumstances allow you to make your assumption. I would like to add that

This is bad programming.

Why? For several reasons:

  1. You have to be a language lawyer just to be sure this isn't a bug. I wouldn't know the answer if not for this page, and frankly - I don't think you should really bother to know either.
  2. People without the intuition of a string being a null-terminated sequence of characters will have no idea what you're trying to do until they read the standard or ask their friends.
  3. Breaks the principle of least astonishment in a bad way.
  4. Goes against the principle of "writing what you mean", i.e. having the code express problem-domain concepts.
  5. Sort-of-a use of a magic number (it's arguable whether 0 actually constitutes a magic number in this case).

Shall I continue? ... I'm almost certain you have an alternative superior in almost every respect. I'll even venture a guess that you've done something else that's "bad" to manipulate yourself into wanting to do this.

Always remember: Other people, who will not be consulting you, will sooner-or-later need to maintain this code. Think of them, not just of yourself, who can figure it out. Plus, in a decade from now, who's to say you're going to remember your own trick? You might be that confounded maintainer...

Upvotes: 33

Bartek Banachewicz
Bartek Banachewicz

Reputation: 39390

C++14

No; you can depend on it.

In 21.4.5.2 (or [string.access]) we can find:

Returns: *(begin() + pos) if pos < size(). Otherwise, returns a reference to an object of type charT with value charT(), where modifying the object leads to undefined behavior.

In other words, when pos == size() (which is true when both are 0), the operator will return a reference to a default-constructed character type which you are forbidden to modify.

It is not special-cased for the empty (or 0-sized) strings and works the same for every length.

C++03

And most certainly C++98 as well.

It depends.

Here's 21.3.4.1 from the official ISO/IEC 14882:

Returns: If pos < size(), returns data()[pos]. Otherwise, if pos == size(), the const version returns charT(). Otherwise, the behavior is undefined.

Upvotes: 71

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