std::initializer_list<T>::data

 

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Language support Type support (basic types, RTTI) Library feature-test macros (C++20) Program utilities Variadic functions initializer_list (C++11) is_constant_evaluated (C++20) is_within_lifetime (C++26) source_location (C++20) Coroutine support (C++20) Contract support (C++26) Three-way comparison three_way_comparablethree_way_comparable_with (C++20)(C++20) strong_ordering (C++20) weak_ordering (C++20) partial_ordering (C++20) common_comparison_category (C++20) compare_three_way_result (C++20) compare_three_way (C++20) strong_order (C++20) weak_order (C++20) partial_order (C++20) compare_strong_order_fallback (C++20) compare_weak_order_fallback (C++20) compare_partial_order_fallback (C++20)     type_order (C++26) is_eqis_ltis_lteq (C++20)(C++20)(C++20) is_neqis_gtis_gteq (C++20)(C++20)(C++20)

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std::initializer_list

Member functions

initializer_list::initializer_list

Capacity

initializer_list::size

initializer_list::empty

Iterators

initializer_list::begin

initializer_list::end

initializer_list::data

 

const T* data() const noexcept;		(since C++11) (constexpr since C++14)

Obtains a pointer to the first element in the initializer_list. Equivalent to return begin();.

If the initializer list is empty, the return values of data() and end() are unspecified but identical.

Return value

A pointer to the first element in the initializer list

Complexity

Constant

Notes

As for 2026-05-27, libstdc++ has not treated the addition of the data function from P3016R6 as a defect report against C++11, and only adds data since C++26.

Example

Run this code

#include <initializer_list>

int main()
{
    static constexpr auto il = {42, 24};
    static_assert(il.data() == il.begin());
    static_assert(*il.data() == 0x2A);
    static_assert(il.data()[1] == 030);
}

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR	Applied to	Behavior as published	Correct behavior
P3016R6	C++11	std::initializer_list lacked data function	added

See also

begin (C++11)	returns a pointer to the first element (public member function)
end (C++11)	returns a pointer to one past the last element (public member function)