[basic.lval]

# 7 Expressions [[expr]](./#expr)

## 7.2 Properties of expressions [[expr.prop]](expr.prop#basic.lval)

### 7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]

[1](#1)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L140)

Expressions are categorized according to the taxonomy in Figure [2](#fig:basic.lval)[.](#1.sentence-1)

![SVG Image](data:image/svg+xml;base64,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)  
Figure [2](#fig:basic.lval) — Expression category taxonomy [[fig:basic.lval]](./fig:basic.lval)

- [(1.1)](#1.1)

  A [*glvalue*](#def:glvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") is an expression whose evaluation determines the identity of an object, function, or non-static data member[.](#1.1.sentence-1)

- [(1.2)](#1.2)

  A [*prvalue*](#def:prvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") is an expression whose evaluation initializes an object
or computes the value of an operand of an operator,
as specified by the context in which it appears,
or an expression that has type cv void[.](#1.2.sentence-1)

- [(1.3)](#1.3)

  An [*xvalue*](#def:xvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") is a glvalue that denotes an object whose resources can be reused (usually because it is near the end of its lifetime)[.](#1.3.sentence-1)

- [(1.4)](#1.4)

  An [*lvalue*](#def:lvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") is a glvalue that is not an xvalue[.](#1.4.sentence-1)

- [(1.5)](#1.5)

  An [*rvalue*](#def:rvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") is a prvalue or an xvalue[.](#1.5.sentence-1)

[2](#2)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L160)

Every expression belongs to exactly one of the fundamental categories in this
taxonomy: lvalue, xvalue, or prvalue[.](#2.sentence-1)

This property of an expression is called
its [*value category*](#def:value_category "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]")[.](#2.sentence-2)

[*Note [1](#note-1)*:

The discussion of each built-in operator in[[expr.compound]](expr.compound "7.6 Compound expressions") indicates the category of the value it yields and the value categories
of the operands it expects[.](#2.sentence-3)

For example, the built-in assignment operators expect that
the left operand is an lvalue and that the right operand is a prvalue and yield an
lvalue as the result[.](#2.sentence-4)

User-defined operators are functions, and the categories of
values they expect and yield are determined by their parameter and return types[.](#2.sentence-5)

— *end note*]

[3](#3)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L173)

[*Note [2](#note-2)*:

Historically, lvalues and rvalues were so-called
because they could appear on the left- and right-hand side of an assignment
(although this is no longer generally true);
glvalues are “generalized” lvalues,
prvalues are “pure” rvalues,
and xvalues are “eXpiring” lvalues[.](#3.sentence-1)

Despite their names, these terms apply to expressions, not values[.](#3.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[4](#4)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L184)

[*Note [3](#note-3)*:

An expression is an xvalue if it is:

- [(4.1)](#4.1)

a move-eligible [*id-expression*](expr.prim.id.general#nt:id-expression "7.5.5.1 General [expr.prim.id.general]") ([[expr.prim.id.unqual]](expr.prim.id.unqual "7.5.5.2 Unqualified names"))
or [*splice-expression*](expr.prim.splice#nt:splice-expression "7.5.9 Expression splicing [expr.prim.splice]") ([[expr.prim.splice]](expr.prim.splice "7.5.9 Expression splicing")),

- [(4.2)](#4.2)

the result of calling a function, whether implicitly or explicitly,
whose return type is an rvalue reference to object type ([[expr.call]](expr.call "7.6.1.3 Function call")),

- [(4.3)](#4.3)

a cast to an rvalue reference to
object type ([[expr.type.conv]](expr.type.conv "7.6.1.4 Explicit type conversion (functional notation)"), [[expr.dynamic.cast]](expr.dynamic.cast "7.6.1.7 Dynamic cast"), [[expr.static.cast]](expr.static.cast "7.6.1.9 Static cast"), [[expr.reinterpret.cast]](expr.reinterpret.cast "7.6.1.10 Reinterpret cast"), [[expr.const.cast]](expr.const.cast "7.6.1.11 Const cast"), [[expr.cast]](expr.cast "7.6.3 Explicit type conversion (cast notation)")),

- [(4.4)](#4.4)

a subscripting operation with an xvalue array operand ([[expr.sub]](expr.sub "7.6.1.2 Subscripting")),

- [(4.5)](#4.5)

a class member access expression designating a non-static data member
of non-reference type
in which the object expression is an xvalue ([[expr.ref]](expr.ref "7.6.1.5 Class member access")), or

- [(4.6)](#4.6)

a .* pointer-to-member expression in which the first operand is
an xvalue and the second operand is a pointer to data member ([[expr.mptr.oper]](expr.mptr.oper "7.6.4 Pointer-to-member operators"))[.](#4.sentence-1)

In general, the effect of this rule is that named rvalue references are
treated as lvalues and unnamed rvalue references to objects are treated as
xvalues; rvalue references to functions are treated as lvalues whether named or not[.](#4.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[*Example [1](#example-1)*: struct A {int m;};
A&& operator+(A, A);
A&& f();

A a;
A&& ar = static_cast<A&&>(a);

The expressions f(), f().m, static_cast<A&&>(a), and a + a are xvalues[.](#4.sentence-3)

The expression ar is an lvalue[.](#4.sentence-4)

— *end example*]

[5](#5)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L229)

The [*result*](#def:result,glvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") of a glvalue is the entity denoted by the expression[.](#5.sentence-1)

The [*result*](#def:result,prvalue "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") of a prvalue
is the value that the expression stores into its context;
a prvalue that has type cv void has no result[.](#5.sentence-2)

A prvalue whose result is the value *V* is sometimes said to have or name the value *V*[.](#5.sentence-3)

The [*result object*](#def:result_object "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") of a prvalue is the object initialized by the prvalue;
a prvalue that has type cv void has no result object[.](#5.sentence-4)

[*Note [4](#note-4)*:

Except when the prvalue is the operand of a [*decltype-specifier*](dcl.type.decltype#nt:decltype-specifier "9.2.9.6 Decltype specifiers [dcl.type.decltype]"),
a prvalue of object type always has a result object[.](#5.sentence-5)

For a discarded prvalue that has type other than cv void,
a temporary object is materialized; see [[expr.context]](expr.context "7.2.3 Context dependence")[.](#5.sentence-6)

— *end note*]

[6](#6)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L246)

Whenever a glvalue appears as an operand of an operator that
requires a prvalue for that operand, the
lvalue-to-rvalue ([[conv.lval]](conv.lval "7.3.2 Lvalue-to-rvalue conversion")), array-to-pointer ([[conv.array]](conv.array "7.3.3 Array-to-pointer conversion")),
or function-to-pointer ([[conv.func]](conv.func "7.3.4 Function-to-pointer conversion")) standard conversions are
applied to convert the expression to a prvalue[.](#6.sentence-1)

[*Note [5](#note-5)*:

An attempt to bind an rvalue reference to an lvalue is not such a context; see [[dcl.init.ref]](dcl.init.ref "9.5.4 References")[.](#6.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[*Note [6](#note-6)*:

Because cv-qualifiers are removed from the type of an expression of
non-class type when the expression is converted to a prvalue, an lvalue
of type const int can, for example, be used where
a prvalue of type int is required[.](#6.sentence-3)

— *end note*]

[*Note [7](#note-7)*:

There are no prvalue bit-fields; if a bit-field is converted to a
prvalue ([[conv.lval]](conv.lval "7.3.2 Lvalue-to-rvalue conversion")), a prvalue of the type of the bit-field is
created, which might then be promoted ([[conv.prom]](conv.prom "7.3.7 Integral promotions"))[.](#6.sentence-4)

— *end note*]

[7](#7)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L267)

Unless otherwise specified ([[expr.reinterpret.cast]](expr.reinterpret.cast "7.6.1.10 Reinterpret cast"), [[expr.const.cast]](expr.const.cast "7.6.1.11 Const cast")),
whenever a prvalue
that is not the result of the lvalue-to-rvalue conversion ([[conv.lval]](conv.lval "7.3.2 Lvalue-to-rvalue conversion"))
appears as an operand of an operator,
the [temporary materialization conversion](conv.rval "7.3.5 Temporary materialization conversion [conv.rval]") is
applied to convert the expression to an xvalue[.](#7.sentence-1)

[8](#8)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L275)

[*Note [8](#note-8)*:

The discussion of reference initialization in [[dcl.init.ref]](dcl.init.ref "9.5.4 References") and of
temporaries in [[class.temporary]](class.temporary "6.8.7 Temporary objects") indicates the behavior of lvalues
and rvalues in other significant contexts[.](#8.sentence-1)

— *end note*]

[9](#9)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L282)

Unless otherwise indicated ([[dcl.type.decltype]](dcl.type.decltype "9.2.9.6 Decltype specifiers")),
a prvalue shall always have complete type or the void type;
if it has a class type or (possibly multidimensional) array of class type,
that class shall not be an abstract class ([[class.abstract]](class.abstract "11.7.4 Abstract classes"))[.](#9.sentence-1)

A glvalue shall not have type cv void[.](#9.sentence-2)

[*Note [9](#note-9)*:

A glvalue can have complete or incomplete non-void type[.](#9.sentence-3)

Class and array prvalues can have cv-qualified types; other prvalues
always have cv-unqualified types[.](#9.sentence-4)

See [[expr.type]](expr.type "7.2.2 Type")[.](#9.sentence-5)

— *end note*]

[10](#10)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L294)

An lvalue is [*modifiable*](#def:modifiable "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") unless its type is const-qualified
or is a function type[.](#10.sentence-1)

[*Note [10](#note-10)*:

A program that attempts
to modify an object through a nonmodifiable lvalue or through an rvalue
is ill-formed ([[expr.assign]](expr.assign "7.6.19 Assignment and compound assignment operators"), [[expr.post.incr]](expr.post.incr "7.6.1.6 Increment and decrement"), [[expr.pre.incr]](expr.pre.incr "7.6.2.3 Increment and decrement"))[.](#10.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[11](#11)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/expressions.tex#L303)

An object of dynamic type Tobj is[*type-accessible*](#def:type-accessible "7.2.1 Value category [basic.lval]") through a glvalue of type Tref if Tref is similar ([[conv.qual]](conv.qual "7.3.6 Qualification conversions")) to:

- [(11.1)](#11.1)

Tobj,

- [(11.2)](#11.2)

a type that is the signed or unsigned type corresponding to Tobj, or

- [(11.3)](#11.3)

a char, unsigned char, or std​::​byte type[.](#11.sentence-1)

If a program attempts to access ([[defns.access]](defns.access "3.1 access"))
the stored value of an object through a glvalue
through which it is not type-accessible,
the behavior is undefined[.](#11.sentence-2)[42](#footnote-42 "The intent of this list is to specify those circumstances in which an object can or cannot be aliased.")

If a program invokes
a defaulted copy/move constructor or copy/move assignment operator
for a union of type U with a glvalue argument
that does not denote an object of type cv U within its lifetime,
the behavior is undefined[.](#11.sentence-3)

[*Note [11](#note-11)*:

In C, an entire object of structure type can be accessed, e.g., using assignment[.](#11.sentence-4)

By contrast, C++ has no notion of accessing an object of class type
through an lvalue of class type[.](#11.sentence-5)

— *end note*]

[42)](#footnote-42)[42)](#footnoteref-42)

The intent of this list is to specify those circumstances in which an
object can or cannot be aliased[.](#footnote-42.sentence-1)