# std::byteswap

From cppreference.com
< cpp‎ | numeric

Defined in header `<bit>` |  |
template< class T > constexpr T byteswap( T n ) noexcept; |  | (since C++23)

Reverses the bytes in the given integer value n.

`std::byteswap` participates in overload resolution only if `T` satisfies `integral`, i.e., `T` is an integer type. The program is ill-formed if `T` has padding bits.

### Parameters

n | - | integer value

### Return value

An integer value of type `T` whose object representation comprises the bytes of that of n in reversed order.

### Notes

This function is useful for processing data of different endianness.

Feature-test macro | Value | Std | Feature
--- | --- | --- | ---
`__cpp_lib_byteswap` | `202110L` | (C++23) | `std::byteswap`

### Possible implementation

    template<std::integral T>
    constexpr T byteswap(T value) noexcept
    {
        static_assert(std::has_unique_object_representations_v<T>,
                      "T may not have padding bits");
        auto value_representation = std::bit_cast<std::array<std::byte, sizeof(T)>>(value);
        std::ranges::reverse(value_representation);
        return std::bit_cast<T>(value_representation);
    }

### Example

Run this code

    #include <bit>
    #include <concepts>
    #include <cstdint>
    #include <iomanip>
    #include <iostream>

    template<std::integral T>
    void dump(T v, char term = '\n')
    {
        std::cout << std::hex << std::uppercase << std::setfill('0')
                  << std::setw(sizeof(T) * 2) << v << " : ";
        for (std::size_t i{}; i != sizeof(T); ++i, v >>= 8)
            std::cout << std::setw(2) << static_cast<unsigned>(T(0xFF) & v) << ' ';
        std::cout << std::dec << term;
    }

    int main()
    {
        static_assert(std::byteswap('a') == 'a');

        std::cout << "byteswap for U16:\n";
        constexpr auto x = std::uint16_t(0xCAFE);
        dump(x);
        dump(std::byteswap(x));

        std::cout << "\nbyteswap for U32:\n";
        constexpr auto y = std::uint32_t(0xDEADBEEFu);
        dump(y);
        dump(std::byteswap(y));

        std::cout << "\nbyteswap for U64:\n";
        constexpr auto z = std::uint64_t{0x0123456789ABCDEFull};
        dump(z);
        dump(std::byteswap(z));
    }

Possible output:

    byteswap for U16:
    CAFE : FE CA
    FECA : CA FE

    byteswap for U32:
    DEADBEEF : EF BE AD DE
    EFBEADDE : DE AD BE EF

    byteswap for U64:
    0123456789ABCDEF : EF CD AB 89 67 45 23 01
    EFCDAB8967452301 : 01 23 45 67 89 AB CD EF

### See also

endian (C++20) | indicates the endianness of scalar types (enum)
rotl (C++20) | computes the result of bitwise left-rotation (function template)
rotr (C++20) | computes the result of bitwise right-rotation (function template)

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