std::ranges::minmax() algorithm

since C++20

Simplified

// (1)
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<const T&>
    minmax( const T& a, const T& b, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

// (2)
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<T>
    minmax( std::initializer_list<T> r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

// (3)
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<ranges::range_value_t<R>>
    minmax( R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

The type of arguments are generic and have the following constraints:

• T - (none)
• Proj - (none)
• R - ranges::input_range
• Comp:
  • (1 - 2) - std::indirect_strict_weak_order<std::projected<const T*, Proj>>
  • (3) - std::indirect_strict_weak_order<std::projected<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Proj>>

The Proj and Comp template arguments have, the following default types for all overloads: std::identity, ranges::less.

Additionally, each overload has the following constraints:

• (3) - std::indirectly_copyable_storable<ranges::iterator_t<R>, ranges::range_value_t<R>*>

Detailed

// (1)
template<
  class T,
  class Proj = std::identity,
  std::indirect_strict_weak_order<std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less
>
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<const T&>
    minmax( const T& a, const T& b, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

// (2)
template<
  std::copyable T,
  class Proj = std::identity,
  std::indirect_strict_weak_order<std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less
>
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<T>
    minmax( std::initializer_list<T> r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

// (3)
template<
  ranges::input_range R,
  class Proj = std::identity,
  std::indirect_strict_weak_order<std::projected<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less
>
  requires std::indirectly_copyable_storable<ranges::iterator_t<R>, ranges::range_value_t<R>*>
constexpr ranges::minmax_result<ranges::range_value_t<R>>
    minmax( R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );

With the helper types defined as follows:

template< class T >
using minmax_result = ranges::min_max_result<T>;

Returns the smallest and the greatest of the given projected values.

• (1) Returns references to the smaller and the greater of a and b.

• (2) Returns the smallest and the greatest of the values in the initializer list r.

• (3) Returns the smallest and the greatest of the values in the range r.

The function-like entities described on this page are niebloids.

Parameters

a b	The values to compare.
r	A non-empty range of values to compare.
comp	Comparison to apply to the projected elements.
proj	Projection to apply to the elements.

Return value

• (1)

  • { b, a }, if, according to projected values, a is smaller than b.
  • { a, b } otherwise.

• (2 - 3) { s, l }, where s and l are respectively the smallest and largest values in r, according to their projected value.
  If several values are equivalent to the smallest and largest, returns the leftmost smallest value, and the rightmost largest value.

  Undefined Behavior

  If the range is empty (as determinmaxed by ranges::distance(r)), the behavior is undefined.

Complexity

• (1) Exactly one comparison and two applications of the projection.
• (2 - 3) At most 3 / 2 * ranges::distance(r) comparisons and twice as many projections.

Exceptions

(none)

Possible implementation

minmax(1) and minmax(2)

struct minmax_fn
{
    template<class T, class Proj = std::identity,
             std::indirect_strict_weak_order<
                 std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less>
    constexpr ranges::minmax_result<const T&>
         operator()(const T& a, const T& b, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        if (std::invoke(comp, std::invoke(proj, b), std::invoke(proj, a)))
            return {b, a};

        return {a, b};
    }

    template<std::copyable T, class Proj = std::identity,
             std::indirect_strict_weak_order<
                 std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less>
    constexpr ranges::minmax_result<T>
        operator()(std::initializer_list<T> r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        auto result = ranges::minmax_element(r, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj));
        return {*result.min, *result.max};
    }

    template<ranges::input_range R, class Proj = std::identity,
             std::indirect_strict_weak_order<
                 std::projected<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less>
    requires std::indirectly_copyable_storable<ranges::iterator_t<R>,
                                               ranges::range_value_t<R>*>
    constexpr ranges::minmax_result<ranges::range_value_t<R>>
        operator()(R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        auto result = ranges::minmax_element(r, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj));
        return {std::move(*result.min), std::move(*result.max)};
    }
};

inline constexpr minmax_fn minmax;

Notes

Undefined Behavior

For overloads (1), if one of the parameters is a temporary, the reference returned becomes a dangling reference at the end of the full expression that contains the call to minmax:

int n = 1;
auto p = std::minmax(n, n + 1);
int m = p.first; // ok
int x = p.second; // undefined behavior

// Note that structured bindings have the same issue
auto [mm, xx] = std::minmax(n, n + 1);
xx; // undefined behavior

Examples

Main.cpp

#include <algorithm>
#include <array>
#include <iostream>
#include <random>

int main()
{
    namespace ranges = std::ranges;

    constexpr std::array v {3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, 5};

    std::random_device rd;
    std::mt19937_64 generator(rd());
    std::uniform_int_distribution<> distribution(0, ranges::distance(v)); // [0..9]

    // auto bounds = ranges::minmax(distribution(generator), distribution(generator));
    // UB: dangling references: bounds.min and bounds.max have the type `const int&`.

    const int x1 = distribution(generator);
    const int x2 = distribution(generator);
    auto bounds = ranges::minmax(x1, x2); // OK: got references to lvalues x1 and x2

    std::cout << "v[" << bounds.min << ":" << bounds.max << "]: ";
    for (int i = bounds.min; i < bounds.max; ++i)
        std::cout << v[i] << ' ';
    std::cout << '\n';

    auto [min, max] = ranges::minmax(v);
    std::cout << "smallest: " << min << ", " << "largest: " << max << '\n';
}

Possible output

v[3:9]: 1 5 9 2 6 5 
smallest: 1, largest: 9