| Home | Libraries | People | FAQ | More

### String View

#### Introduction

The class `boost::string_view` and other classes derived from `basic_string_view` represent references to strings or substrings. When you are parsing/processing strings from some external source, frequently you want to pass a piece of text to a procedure for specialized processing. Before `std::string_view`, the canonical way to do this used to be a `std::string`, but that has certain drawbacks:

1) If you are processing a buffer of text (say a HTTP response or the contents of a file), then you have to create the string from the text you want to pass, which involves memory allocation and copying of data.

2) If a routine receives a constant `std::string` and wants to pass a portion of that string to another routine, then it must create a new string of that substring.

3) If a routine receives a constant `std::string` and wants to return a portion of the string, then it must create a new string to return.

`boost::string_view` is designed to solve these efficiency problems. A `boost::string_view` is a read-only reference to a contiguous sequence of characters, and provides much of the functionality of `std::string`. A `boost::string_view` is cheap to create, copy and pass by value, because it does not actually own the storage that it points to.

A `boost::string_view` is implemented as a small struct that contains a pointer to the start of the character `data` and a `count`. A `boost::string_view` is cheap to create and cheap to copy.

`boost::string_view` acts as a container; it includes all the methods that you would expect in a container, including iteration support, `operator[]`, `at` and `size`. It can be used with any of the iterator-based algorithms in the STL - as long as you do not need to change the underlying data. For example, `std::sort` and `std::remove` will not work.

Besides generic container functionality, `boost::string_view` provides a subset of the interface of `std::string`. This makes it easy to replace parameters of type `const `std::string` &` with `boost::string_view`. Like `std::string`, `boost::string_view` has a static member variable named `npos` to denote the result of failed searches, and to mean "the end".

| Caution
Because a `boost::string_view` does not own the data that it refers to, it introduces lifetime issues into code that uses it. The programmer must ensure that the data that a `string_view` refers to exists as long as the `string_view` does.

| Note

Boost.Utility also includes the class `string_ref`:

- `string_ref` is the initial implementation of Jeffrey Yaskin's N3442: string_ref: a non-owning reference to a string.

- `string_view` is an updated implementation to reflect the Library Fundamentals TS N4480: [string.view].

Please prefer `string_view` / `basic_string_view` over `string_ref` / `basic_string_ref`:

- The `basic_string_view` class better matches `std::basic_string_view`.

- `basic_string_view` has WAY more constexpr support.

- Code that uses `basic_string_ref` should continue to work.

- Not much code depends on `basic_string_ref` anymore.

#### Examples

Integrating `string_view` into your code is fairly simple. Wherever you pass a `const `std::string` &` or `std::string` as a parameter, that's a candidate for passing a `boost::string_view`.

    std::string extract_part ( const std::string &bar ) {
        return bar.substr ( 2, 3 );
    }

    if ( extract_part ( "ABCDEFG" ).front() == 'C' ) { /* do something */ }

Let's figure out what happens in this contrived example.

- First, a temporary string is created from the string literal `"ABCDEFG"`, and it is passed (by reference) to the routine `extract_part`.
- Then a second string is created in the call ``std::string`::substr` and returned to `extract_part` (this copy may be elided by RVO).
- Then `extract_part` returns that string back to the caller (again this copy may be elided).
- The first temporary string is deallocated, and `front` is called on the second string, and then it is deallocated as well.

Two `std::string` s are created, and two copy operations. That is potentially four memory allocations and deallocations, and the associated copying of data.

Now let's look at the same code with `string_view`:

    boost::string_view extract_part ( boost::string_view bar ) {
        return bar.substr ( 2, 3 );
    }

    if ( extract_part ( "ABCDEFG" ).front() == "C" ) { /* do something */ }

No memory allocations. No copying of character data. No changes to the code other than the types. There are two `string_view` s created, and two `string_view` s copied, but those are cheap operations.

#### Synopsis

The header file `<boost/utility/string_view.hpp>` defines a template `boost::basic_string_view`, and four specializations `string_view`, `wstring_view`, `u16string_view`, `u32string_view` - for `char` / `wchar_t` / `char16_t` / `char32_t`.

`#include <boost/utility/string_view.hpp>`

Construction and copying:

    constexpr basic_string_view ();    // Constructs an empty string_view
    constexpr basic_string_view(const charT* str); // Constructs from a NULL-terminated string
    constexpr basic_string_view(const charT* str, size_type len); // Constructs from a pointer, length pair
    template<typename Allocator>
    basic_string_view(const std::basic_string<charT, traits, Allocator>& str); // Constructs from a std::string
    basic_string_view (const basic_string_view &rhs);
    basic_string_view& operator=(const basic_string_view &rhs);

`string_view` does not define a move constructor nor a move-assignment operator because copying a `string_view` is just a cheap as moving one.

Basic container-like functions:

    constexpr size_type size()     const ;
    constexpr size_type length()   const ;
    constexpr size_type max_size() const ;
    constexpr bool empty()         const ;

    // All iterators are const_iterators
    constexpr const_iterator  begin() const ;
    constexpr const_iterator cbegin() const ;
    constexpr const_iterator    end() const ;
    constexpr const_iterator   cend() const ;
    const_reverse_iterator         rbegin() const ;
    const_reverse_iterator        crbegin() const ;
    const_reverse_iterator           rend() const ;
    const_reverse_iterator          crend() const ;

Access to the individual elements (all of which are const):

    constexpr const charT& operator[](size_type pos) const ;
    const charT& at(size_t pos) const ;
    constexpr const charT& front() const ;
    constexpr const charT& back()  const ;
    constexpr const charT* data()  const ;

Modifying the `string_view` (but not the underlying data):

    void clear();
    void remove_prefix(size_type n);
    void remove_suffix(size_type n);

Searching:

    size_type find(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type find(charT c) const ;
    size_type rfind(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type rfind(charT c) const ;
    size_type find_first_of(charT c) const ;
    size_type find_last_of (charT c) const ;

    size_type find_first_of(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type find_last_of(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type find_first_not_of(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type find_first_not_of(charT c) const ;
    size_type find_last_not_of(basic_string_view s) const ;
    size_type find_last_not_of(charT c) const ;

String-like operations:

    constexpr basic_string_view substr(size_type pos, size_type n=npos) const ; // Creates a new string_view
    bool starts_with(charT c) const ;
    bool starts_with(basic_string_view x) const ;
    bool ends_with(charT c) const ;
    bool ends_with(basic_string_view x) const ;

#### History

###### boost 1.71

- Glen Fernandes updated the implementation of the stream insertion operator to write directly to the `basic_streambuf` and refactored that functionality into a common utility.

###### boost 1.53

- Introduced

#### Reference

##### Header <boost/utility/string_ref.hpp>

    namespace boost {
      template<typename charT, typename traits> class basic_string_ref;
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator==(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator==(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator!=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                       basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                       const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                       basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                       basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                       const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                       basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_ref< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(const charT * x, basic_string_ref< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        std::basic_ostream< charT, traits > &
        operator<<(std::basic_ostream< charT, traits > & os,
                   const basic_string_ref< charT, traits > & str);
    }

##### Header <boost/utility/string_view.hpp>

    namespace boost {
      template<typename charT, typename traits> class basic_string_view;
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                       basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                       basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator==(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator==(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator==(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator!=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator!=(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                       const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                       basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                       const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                       basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator<=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator<=(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x,
                        const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits, typename Allocator>
        bool operator>=(const std::basic_string< charT, traits, Allocator > & x,
                        basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(basic_string_view< charT, traits > x, const charT * y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        bool operator>=(const charT * x, basic_string_view< charT, traits > y);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        std::basic_ostream< charT, traits > &
        operator<<(std::basic_ostream< charT, traits > & os,
                   const basic_string_view< charT, traits > & str);
      template<typename It> std::size_t hash_range(It, It);
      template<typename charT, typename traits>
        std::size_t hash_value(basic_string_view< charT, traits > s);
    }

#### Acknowledgments

Author: Clow, Marshall

Copyright 2012 Marshall Clow