default initialization

 

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Provides the default initial value to a new object.

Syntax

T object ;	(1)
new T ;	(2)

Explanation

Default initialization is performed in three situations:

1) when a variable with automatic storage duration is declared with no initializer

2) when an object with dynamic storage duration is created by a new-expression without an initializer

3) when a base class or a non-static data member is not mentioned in a constructor initializer list and that constructor is called.

The effects of default initialization are:

• If T is a class type, the default constructor is called to provide the initial value for the new object.

• If T is an array type, every element of the array is default-initialized.

• Otherwise, nothing is done.

If T is a const-qualified type, it must be a class type with a user-provided default constructor.

Notes

Default initialization of non-class variables with automatic and dynamic storage duration produces objects with indeterminate values (static and thread-local objects get zero initialized)

Reference cannot be default-initialized.

Example

run this code

#include <string>
struct T1 {};
class T2 { 
    int mem;
 public:
    T2() {} // "mem" not in initializer list
};
int n; // This is not default-initialization, the value is zero.
int main()
{
    int n;            // non-class: the value is undeterminate
    std::string s;    // calls default ctor, the value is "" (empty string)
    std::string a[2]; // calls default ctor, creates two empty strings
//    int& r;         // error: default-initializing a reference
//    const int n;    // error: const non-class type
//    const T1 nd;    // error: const class type with implicit ctor
    T1 t1; // ok, calls implicit default ctor
    const T2 t2; // ok, calls the user-provided default ctor 
                 // t2.mem is default-initialized (to indeterminate value)
}

See also

• direct initialization
• copy initialization
• list initialization