# std::terminate

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Defined in header `<exception>` |  |
void terminate(); |  | (until C++11)
[[noreturn]] void terminate() noexcept; |  | (since C++11)

`std::terminate()` is called by the C++ runtime when the program cannot continue for any of the following reasons:

1) An exception is thrown and not caught (it is implementation-defined whether any stack unwinding is done in this case).
2) A function directly invoked by the exception handling mechanism while handling an exception that has not yet been caught exits via an exception (e.g. a destructor of some local object, or a copy constructor constructing a catch-clause parameter).
3) The constructor or the destructor of a static or thread-local(since C++11) object throws an exception.
4) A function registered with std::atexit or std::at_quick_exit (since C++11) throws an exception.

5) A dynamic exception specification is violated and the default handler for std::unexpected is executed. 6) A non-default handler for std::unexpected throws an exception that violates the previously violated dynamic exception specification, if the specification does not include std::bad_exception. | (until C++17)

7) A noexcept specification is violated (it is implementation-defined whether any stack unwinding is done in this case).
8) std::nested_exception::rethrow_nested is called for an object that isn't holding a captured exception.
9) An exception is thrown from the initial function of std::thread.
10) A joinable std::thread is destroyed or assigned to.
11) std::condition_variable::wait, std::condition_variable::wait_until, or std::condition_variable::wait_for fails to reach its postcondition (e.g. if relocking the mutex throws).

(since C++11)

12) A function invoked by a parallel algorithm exits via an uncaught exception and the execution policy specifies termination. | (since C++17)

`std::terminate()` may also be called directly from the program.

When `std::terminate` is called due to a thrown exception, an implicit try/catch handler is considered active. Thus, calling std::current_exception will return the thrown exception.

In any case, `std::terminate` calls the currently installed std::terminate_handler. The default std::terminate_handler calls std::abort.

If a destructor reset the terminate handler during stack unwinding and the unwinding later led to `terminate` being called, the handler that was installed at the end of the throw expression is the one that will be called. (note: it was ambiguous whether re-throwing applied the new handlers) | (until C++11)
If a destructor reset the terminate handler during stack unwinding, it is unspecified which handler is called if the unwinding later led to `terminate` being called. | (since C++11)

### Notes

If the handler mechanism is not wanted, e.g. because it requires atomic operations which may bloat binary size, a direct call to std::abort is preferred when terminating the program abnormally.

Some compiler intrinsics, e.g. `__builtin_trap` (gcc, clang, and icc) or `__debugbreak` (msvc), can be used to terminate the program as fast as possible.

### 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 2111 | C++11 | effect of calling std::set_terminate during stack unwinding differs from C++98 and breaks some ABIs | made unspecified

### See also

terminate_handler | the type of the function called by std::terminate (typedef)
abort | causes abnormal program termination (without cleaning up) (function)
breakpoint (C++26) | pauses the running program when called (function)

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