std::flat_set::max_size(3)

💅 std::flat_set::max_size(3)

okay so bestie, welcome to the std::flat_set::max_size page — yes the title is the same as the thing, iconic, we love a self-titled moment 👑

this one lives in the C++ Standard Libary (that's the manual name, no i'm not fixing the spelling, it's part of the lore 🫶) and it's literally all about asking your flat_set "hey girl, how much can you hold?"

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✨ Synopsis ✨

size_type max_size() const noexcept;  (since C++23)

so the way this works: it returns the maximum number of elements the container is able to hold due to system or library implementation limitations, i.e. std::distance(begin(), end()) for the largest container. like, the theoretical biggest girlie. the final boss size. no cap 💀

also noexcept?? she doesn't throw. she doesn't do drama. main character energy fr fr ✨

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🎀 Parameters 🎀

none babes. zero. zilch. you don't pass her anything, she just knows 💅

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🌸 Return value 🌸

the maximum number of elements. that's it, that's the whole tea 🍓

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🦋 Complexity 🦋

Constant. like, instant. she's not doing a whole loop for you, she just produces the number. ate and left no crumbs 🔥

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💜 Notes 💜

okay so this is the important bit, listen up:

this value typically reflects the theoretical limit on the size of the container, at most std::numeric_limits<difference_type>::max().

but like… at runtime, the size of the container may be limited to a value smaller than max_size() by the amount of RAM available 💀 so don't go thinking you can actually hold that many, your laptop will simply pass away 😭

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⭐ Example ⭐

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <flat_set>
#include <locale>

int main()
{
    std::flat_set<char> q;
    std::cout.imbue(std::locale("en_US.UTF-8"));
    std::cout << "Maximum size of a std::flat_set is " << q.max_size() << '\n';
}

lowkey obsessed with this little demo, it's giving "hello world but make it existential" 🌈

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🌟 Possible output 🌟

Maximum size of a std::flat_set is 768,614,336,404,564,650

yeah. that's a big number. that's a big number. she's huge 👑

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🙈 See also 🙈

• size — returns the number of elements (public member function) — like max_size but for what you actually got, iykyk 💖

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<div>🧚 and that's the whole page bestie!! this lil gem comes to you courtesy of http://cppreference.com, version 2024.06.10 — dated 2024.06.10 (yes same day, she's punctual 💅). now go flex that max_size() on somebody 🫶✨</div>