Creating compile-time constant expressions

The possibility to evaluate expressions at compile time improves runtime execution because there is less code to run and the compiler can perform additional optimizations. Compile-time constants can be not only literals (such as a number or string), but also the result of a function’s execution. If all the input values of a function (regardless of whether they are arguments, locals, or global variables) are known at compile time, the compiler can execute the function and have the result available at compile time. This is what generalized the constant expressions that were introduced in C++11, which were relaxed in C++14 and even further in C++20. The keyword constexpr (short for constant expression) can be used to declare compile-time constant objects and functions. We have seen this in several examples in the previous chapters. Now, it’s time to learn how it actually works.

Getting ready

The way generalized constant...