const_cast conversion

Converts between types with different cv-qualification.

Syntax

const_cast < new_type > ( expression )

Returns a value of type new_type.

Explanation

Only the following conversions can be done with const_cast. In particular, only const_cast may be used to cast away (remove) constness or volatility.

1) Two possibly multilevel pointers to the same type may be converted between each other, regardless of cv-qualifiers at each level.

2) lvalue of any type T may be converted to a lvalue or rvalue reference to the same type T, more or less cv-qualified. Likewise, an rvalue may be converted to a more or less cv-qualified rvalue reference. The result of a reference const_cast refers to the original object if expression is a glvalue and to the materialized temporary otherwise (since C++17).

3) Same rules apply to possibly multilevel pointers to data members and possibly multilevel pointers to arrays of known and unknown bound (arrays to cv-qualified elements are considered to be cv-qualified themselves) (since C++17)

4) null pointer value may be converted to the null pointer value of new_type

As with all cast expressions, the result is:

an lvalue if new_type is an lvalue reference type or an rvalue reference to function type;
an xvalue if new_type is an rvalue reference to object type;
a prvalue otherwise.

Notes

Pointers to functions and pointers to member functions are not subject to const_cast.

const_cast makes it possible to form a reference or pointer to non-const type that is actually referring to a const object or a reference or pointer to non-volatile type that is actually referring to a volatile object. Modifying a const object through a non-const access path and referring to a volatile object through a non-volatile glvalue results in undefined behavior.

Keywords

const_cast.

Example

#include <iostream>
 
struct type {
    int i;
 
    type(): i(3) {}
 
    void f(int v) const {
        // this->i = v;                 // compile error: this is a pointer to const
        const_cast<type*>(this)->i = v; // OK as long as the type object isn't const
    }
};
 
int main() 
{
    int i = 3;                 // i is not declared const
    const int& rci = i; 
    const_cast<int&>(rci) = 4; // OK: modifies i
    std::cout << "i = " << i << '\n';
 
    type t; // if this was const type t, then t.f(4) would be undefined behavior
    t.f(4);
    std::cout << "type::i = " << t.i << '\n';
 
    const int j = 3; // j is declared const
    int* pj = const_cast<int*>(&j);
    // *pj = 4;      // undefined behavior
 
    void (type::* pmf)(int) const = &type::f; // pointer to member function
    // const_cast<void(type::*)(int)>(pmf);   // compile error: const_cast does
                                              // not work on function pointers
}

Output:

i = 4
type::i = 4