std::has_virtual_destructor

template< class T >
struct has_virtual_destructor;

If T is a type with a virtual destructor, provides the member constant value equal true. For any other type, value is false.

If T is a non-union class type, T shall be a complete type; otherwise, the behavior is undefined.

Helper variable template

template< class T >
inline constexpr bool has_virtual_destructor_v = has_virtual_destructor<T>::value;

Notes

If a class has a public virtual destructor, it can be derived from, and the derived object can be safely deleted through a pointer to the base object (GotW #18).

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>
#include <string>
#include <stdexcept>
 
int main()
{
    std::cout << std::boolalpha
              << "std::string has a virtual destructor? "
              << std::has_virtual_destructor<std::string>::value << '\n'
              << "std::runtime_error has a virtual destructor? "
              << std::has_virtual_destructor<std::runtime_error>::value << '\n';
}

std::string has a virtual destructor? false
std::runtime_error has a virtual destructor? true

See also