Punctuation

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Feature test macros(C++20)
Language support library
Concepts library(C++20)
Diagnostics library
Memory management library
Metaprogramming library(C++11)
General utilities library
Containers library
Iterators library
Ranges library(C++20)
Algorithms library
Strings library
Text processing library
Numerics library
Date and time library
Input/output library
Filesystem library(C++17)
Concurrency support library(C++11)
Execution control library(C++26)
Technical specifications
Symbols index
External libraries

[edit]

C++ language

General topics

Preprocessor
Comments

Keywords
Escape sequences

Flow control

Conditional execution statements

if

switch

Iteration statements (loops)

`for`
range-`for`(C++11)

`while`
`do-while`

Jump statements

continue -break

goto -return

Functions

Function declaration

Lambda function expression

inline specifier

Dynamic exception specifications(until C++17*)

noexcept specifier(C++11)

Exceptions

`throw`-expression
`try` block


`catch` handler

Namespaces

Namespace declaration

Namespace aliases

Types

Fundamental types
Enumeration types
Function types

Class/struct types
Union types

Specifiers

`const`/`volatile`
`decltype`(C++11)
`auto`(C++11)

`constexpr`(C++11)
`consteval`(C++20)
`constinit`(C++20)

Storage duration specifiers

Initialization

Default-initialization
Value-initialization
Zero-initialization
Copy-initialization
Direct-initialization

Aggregate initialization
List-initialization(C++11)
Constant initialization
Reference initialization

Expressions

Value categories
Order of evaluation

Operators
Operator precedence

Alternative representations

Literals

Boolean -Integer -Floating-point

Character -String -nullptr(C++11)

User-defined(C++11)

Utilities

Attributes(C++11)

Types

typedef declaration

Type alias declaration(C++11)

Casts

Implicit conversions
`static_cast`
`const_cast`

Explicit conversions
`dynamic_cast`
`reinterpret_cast`

Memory allocation

new expression

delete expression

Classes

Class declaration
Constructors
`this` pointer

Access specifiers
`friend` specifier

Class-specific function properties

Virtual function
`override` specifier(C++11)
`final` specifier(C++11)

`explicit`(C++11)
`static`

Special member functions

Default constructor
Copy constructor
Move constructor(C++11)

Copy assignment
Move assignment(C++11)
Destructor

Templates

Class template
Function template

Template specialization
Parameter packs(C++11)

Miscellaneous

Comments
ASCII
Punctuation
Names and identifiers
Types
Fundamental types
Objects
Scope
Object lifetime
Storage duration and linkage
Definitions and ODR
Name lookup
Qualified name lookup
Unqualified name lookup
The as-if rule
Undefined behavior
Memory model
Multi-threaded executions and data races(C++11)
Character sets and encodings
Phases of translation
The`main` function
Modules(C++20)
Contracts(C++26)

[edit]

These are the punctuation symbols in C++. The meaning of each symbol is detailed in the linked pages.

[edit]Preprocessing operators

Preprocessing operators are recognized bypreprocessors.

[edit]# (including%:)

Introduce apreprocessing directive.
Thepreprocessing operator for stringification.

[edit]##(including%:%:)

Thepreprocessing operator for token pasting.

[edit]Single-character operators and punctuators

[edit]{ and} (including<% and%>)

In aclass definition, delimit themember specification.
In anenumeration definition, delimit the enumerator list.
Delimit acompound statement. The compound statement may be part of

alambda expression

(since C++11)

Part of theaggregate initialization(until C++11)list-initialization(since C++11) syntax of aninitializer.
In anamespace definition, delimit the namespace body.
In alanguage linkage specification, delimit the declarations.

In arequires expression, delimit the requirements.
In acompound requirement, delimit the expression.
In anexport declaration, delimit the declarations.

(since C++20)

[edit][ and] (including<: and:>)

Subscript operator; part ofoperator[] inoperator overloading.
Part ofarray declarator in adeclaration or atype-id (e.g. in anew expression).
Part ofnew[] operator inoperator overloading (allocation function).
Part ofdelete[] operator indelete expression andoperator overloading (deallocation function).

In alambda expression, delimit thecaptures. In anattribute specifier, delimit the attributes.	(since C++11)
In astructured binding declaration, delimit the identifier list.	(since C++17)
In apack indexing, delimitconverted constant expression representing an index.	(since C++26)

[edit]( and)

In an expression,indicate grouping.
Function call operator; part ofoperator() inoperator overloading.
In afunction-style type cast, delimit the expression/initializers.
In astatic_cast,const_cast,reinterpret_cast, ordynamic_cast, delimit the expression.
Delimit the operand of the following operators:

(since C++11)

In aplacementnew expression, delimit the placement arguments.
In anew expression, optionally delimit the type-id.
In anew expression, delimit the initializers.
In aC-style cast, delimit the type-id.
In adeclaration or atype-id, indicate grouping.
Delimit the parameter list in

afunction declarator (in adeclaration or atype-id)

alambda expression	(since C++11)
auser-defined deduction guide	(since C++17)
arequires expression	(since C++20)

Part of thedirect-initialization syntax of aninitializer.
In anasm declaration, delimit the string literal.
In amember initializer list, delimit the initializers to a base or member.
Delimit the controlling clause of a selection statement or iteration statement, including:

range-basedfor

(since C++11)

In ahandler, delimit the parameter declaration.
In afunction-like macro definition, delimit the macro parameters.
In afunction-like macro invocation, delimit the macro arguments or prevent commas from being interpreted as argument separators.
Part of adefined,__has_include(since C++17),__has_cpp_attribute(since C++20) preprocessing operator.

In astatic_assert declaration, delimit the operands.
Delimit the operand of the following specifiers:

explicit

(since C++20)

In anattribute, delimit the attribute arguments.

(since C++11)

Part ofdecltype(auto) specifier.

(since C++14)

Delimit afold expression.

(since C++17)

Part of__VA_OPT__ replacement in a variadic macro definition.

(since C++20)

[edit];

Indicate the end of

amodule declaration, import declaration, global module fragment introducer, or private module fragment introducer
arequirement

(since C++20)

Separate thecondition andstatement of afor statement.

[edit]:

Part ofconditional operator.
Part oflabel declaration.
In thebase-clause of aclass definition, introduce thebase class.
Part ofaccess specifier in member specification.
In abit-field member declaration, introduce the width.
In aconstructor definition, introduce the member initializer list.

In arange-basedfor statement, separate theitem-declaration and therange-initializer. In theenum-base of anenumeration declaration, introduce the underlying type.	(since C++11)
In anattribute specifier, separate theattribute-namespace and theattribute-list.	(since C++17)
In amodule declaration or import declaration of module partition, introduce the module partition name. Part of aprivate module fragment introducer (module:private;).	(since C++20)

[edit]?

Part ofconditional operator.

[edit].

Member access operator.

Inaggregate initialization, introduce a designator.
Part ofmodule name or module partition name.

(since C++20)

[edit]~ (includingcompl)

Unary complement operator (a.k.a. bitwise not operator); part ofoperator~ inoperator overloading.
Part of anidentifier expression to name adestructor or pseudo-destructor.

[edit]! (includingnot)

Logical not operator; part ofoperator! inoperator overloading.

Part ofconsteval if statement.

(since C++23)

[edit]+

Unary plus operator; part ofoperator+ inoperator overloading.
Binary plus operator; part ofoperator+ inoperator overloading.

[edit]-

Unary minus operator; part ofoperator- inoperator overloading.
Binary minus operator; part ofoperator- inoperator overloading.

[edit]*

Indirection operator; part ofoperator* inoperator overloading.
Multiplication operator; part ofoperator* inoperator overloading.
Pointer operator or part of pointer-to-member operator in adeclarator or in atype-id.

Part of*this in alambda capture list, to capture the current object by copy.

(since C++17)

(since C++11)

[edit]| (includingbitor)

Bitwise or operator; part ofoperator| inoperator overloading.

[edit]=

Simple assignment operator; part ofoperator= inoperator overloading, which might be a special member function (copy assignment operatorormove assignment operator(since C++11)).
Part of thecopy-initialization andaggregate initialization(until C++11)copy-list-initialization(since C++11) syntax of aninitializer.
In afunction declaration, introduce adefault argument.
In atemplate parameter list, introduce adefault template argument.
In anamespace alias definition, separate the alias and the aliased namespace.
In anenum definition, introduce the value of enumerator.
Part ofpure-specifier in apure virtual function declaration.

Capture default inlambda capture, to indicate by-copy capture. Part of defaulted definition (=default;) or deleted definition (=delete;) infunction definition. In atype alias declaration, separate the alias and the aliased type.	(since C++11)
In aconcept definition, separate the concept name and the constraint expression.	(since C++20)

[edit]<

Less-than operator; part ofoperator< inoperator overloading.
In astatic_cast,const_cast,reinterpret_cast, ordynamic_cast, introduce the type-id.
Introduce atemplate argument list.
Introduce atemplate parameter list in

alambda expression

(since C++20)

Part oftemplate<> intemplate specialization declaration.
Introduce a header name in

a#include directive

a__has_include preprocessing expression	(since C++17)
animport declaration	(since C++20)

[edit]>

Greater-than operator; part ofoperator> inoperator overloading.
static_cast,const_cast,reinterpret_cast, ordynamic_cast, indicate the end of type-id.
Indicate the end of atemplate argument list.
Indicate the end of atemplate parameter list in

alambda expression

(since C++20)

Part oftemplate<> intemplate specialization declaration.
Indicate the end of a header name in

a#include directive

a__has_include preprocessing expression	(since C++17)
animport declaration	(since C++20)

[edit],

Comma operator; part ofoperator, inoperator overloading.
List separator in

the declarator list in adeclaration
initializer list ininitialization
the placement argument list in aplacement new
the argument list in afunction call expression
the enumerator list in anenum declaration
thebase class list in aclass declaration
the member initializer list in aconstructor definition
afunction parameter list
atemplate parameter list
atemplate argument list

alambda capture list anattribute list	(since C++11)
the declarator list in ausing-declaration the identifier list in astructured binding declaration	(since C++17)
the argument list in amulti-argument subscript expression	(since C++23)

the macro parameter list in afunction-like macro definition
the macro argument list in afunction-like macro invocation, unless found between the parentheses of an argument

In astatic_assert declaration, separate the arguments.

(since C++11)

[edit]Multi-character operators and punctuators

[edit]...

In theparameter list of a function declaratoror lambda expression(since C++11)or user-defined deduction guide(since C++17), signify avariadic function.
In ahandler, signify catch-all handler.

In amacro definition, signify a variadic macro. Indicatepack declaration and expansion.	(since C++11)
Inpack indexing expression and specifier.	(since C++26)

[edit]::

Scope resolution operator in

aqualified name
apointer-to-member declaration
anew ordelete expression, to indicate that only global allocation or deallocation functions are looked up

In anattribute, indicate attribute scope.	(since C++11)
Part ofnested namespace definition.	(since C++17)

[edit].*

Pointer-to-member access operator.

[edit]->

Member access operator; part ofoperator-> inoperator overloading.

In afunction declarator orlambda expression, introduce the trailing return type.	(since C++11)
In auser-defined deduction guide, introduce the result type.	(since C++17)
In acompound requirement, introduce the return type requirement.	(since C++20)