Open In App

alignof operator in C++

Last Updated : 08 Jun, 2018
Comments
Improve
Suggest changes
1 Likes
Like
Report
In C++11 the alignof operator used to returns the alignment, in bytes of the specified type. Syntax: 
alignof(type)
Syntax Explanation:
  • alignof: operator returns the alignment in byte, required for instances of type, which type is either complete type, array type or a reference type.
  • array type: alignment requirement of the element type is returned.
  • reference type: the operator returns the alignment of referenced type.
Return Value: The alignof operator typically used to returns a value of type std::size_t. Program: CPP 
// C++ program to demonstrate alignof operator
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct Geeks {
    int i;
    float f;
    char s;
};

struct Empty {
};

// driver code
int main()
{
    cout << "Alignment of char: " << alignof(char) << endl;
    cout << "Alignment of pointer: " << alignof(int*) << endl;
    cout << "Alignment of float: " << alignof(float) << endl;
    cout << "Alignment of class Geeks: " << alignof(Geeks) << endl;
    cout << "Alignment of Empty class: " << alignof(Empty) << endl;

    return 0;
}
Output: 
Alignment of char: 1
Alignment of pointer: 8
Alignment of float: 4
Alignment of class Geeks: 4
Alignment of Empty class: 1
alignof vs sizeof: The alignof value is the same as the value for sizeof for basic types. Consider, this example: 
typedef struct { int a; double b; } S;  
// alignof(S) == 8
Above case, the alignof value is the alignment requirement of the largest element in the structure. Example program to demonstrate the difference between alignof and sizeof: CPP 
// C++ program to demonstrate
// alignof vs sizeof operator
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct Geeks {
    int i;
    float f;
    char s;
};

int main()
{

    cout << "alignment of Geeks : " << alignof(Geeks) << '\n';
    cout << "sizeof of Geeks : " << sizeof(Geeks) << '\n';
    cout << "alignment of int : " << alignof(int) << '\n';
    cout << "sizeof of int     : " << sizeof(int) << '\n';
}
Output: 
alignment of Geeks : 4
sizeof of Geeks : 12
alignment of int : 4
sizeof of int     : 4

R

rajasethupathi
Improve
Article Tags :

Explore

Lightbox