C++26: More constexpr in the Standard Library -- Sandor Dargo

Here are the standard library features that will soon be usable at compile time. One topic is missing: exceptions. As they need both core language and library changes, I thought they deserved their own post.

C++26: More constexpr in the Standard Library

by Sandor Dargo

From the article:

P2562R1: constexpr stable sorting

This paper proposes making std::stable_sort, std::stable_partition, std::inplace_merge, and their ranges counterparts usable in constant expressions. While many algorithms have become constexpr over the years, this family related to stable sorting had remained exceptions — until now.

The recent introduction of constexpr containers gives extra motivation for this proposal. If you can construct a container at compile time, it’s only natural to want to sort it there, too. More importantly, a constexpr std::vector can now support efficient, stable sorting algorithms.

A key question is whether the algorithm can meet its computational complexity requirements under the constraints of constant evaluation. Fortunately, std::is_constant_evaluated() provides an escape hatch for implementations. For deeper details, check out the proposal itself.

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