C++ named requirements: LessThanComparable
From cppreference.com
The type must work with < operator and the result should have standard semantics.
Requirements
The type T satisfies LessThanComparable if given expressions a, b and c of type T or const T(since C++11), the following expression is valid and has its specified effects:
| Expression | Type | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| a < b | meets BooleanTestable (until C++20) |
Establishes strict weak ordering relation with the following properties:
|
models boolean-testable(since C++20) |
Notes
To satisfy this requirement, types that do not have built-in comparison operators have to provide a user-defined operator<.
For the types that are both EqualityComparable and LessThanComparable, the C++ standard library makes a distinction between
- Equality, which is the value of the expression a == b and
- Equivalence, which is the value of the expression !(a < b) && !(b < a).
Defect reports
The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.
| DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWG 2114 (P2167R3) |
C++98 | convertibility to bool was too weak to reflect the expectation of implementations | requirements strengthened |
See also
| a BinaryPredicate that establishes an ordering relation (named requirement) | |
| (C++20) |
specifies that a relation imposes a strict weak ordering (concept) |