std:: is_signed

std::is_signed is a UnaryTypeTrait .

Checks whether T is a signed arithmetic type.

• If std:: is_arithmetic < T > :: value is true , provides the member constant value equal to T ( - 1 ) < T ( 0 ) .
• Otherwise, provides the member constant value equal to false .

If the program adds specializations for std::is_signed or std::is_signed_v , the behavior is undefined.

Template parameters

Helper variable template

Possible implementation

namespace detail
{
    template<typename T, bool = std::is_arithmetic<T>::value>
    struct is_signed : std::integral_constant<bool, T(-1) < T(0)> {};
 
    template<typename T>
    struct is_signed<T, false> : std::false_type {};
}
 
template<typename T>
struct is_signed : detail::is_signed<T>::type {};

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>
 
class A {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<A> == false);
 
class B { int i; };
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<B> == false);
 
enum C : int {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<C> == false);
 
enum class D : int {};
static_assert(std::is_signed_v<D> == false);
 
static_assert
(
    std::is_signed<signed int>::value == true and // C++11
    std::is_signed<signed int>() == true and      // C++11
    std::is_signed<signed int>{} == true and      // C++11
    std::is_signed_v<signed int> == true and      // C++17
    std::is_signed_v<unsigned int> == false and
    std::is_signed_v<float> == true and
    std::is_signed_v<bool> == false and
    std::is_signed_v<signed char> == true and
    std::is_signed_v<unsigned char> == false
);
 
int main()
{
    // signedness of char is implementation-defined:
    std::cout << std::boolalpha << std::is_signed_v<char> << '\n';
}

true

Defect reports

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

See also