Initializing an std::array

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Initializing std::array<T, N>, where T is a scalar type and N is the number of elements of type T

If T is a scalar type, std::array can be initialized in the following ways:

// 1) Using aggregate-initialization
std::array<int, 3> a{ 0, 1, 2 };
// or equivalently
std::array<int, 3> a = { 0, 1, 2 };

// 2) Using the copy constructor
std::array<int, 3> a{ 0, 1, 2 };
std::array<int, 3> a2(a);
// or equivalently
std::array<int, 3> a2 = a;

// 3) Using the move constructor
std::array<int, 3> a = std::array<int, 3>{ 0, 1, 2 };

Initializing std::array<T, N>, where T is a non-scalar type and N is the number of elements of type T

If T is a non-scalar type std::array can be initialized in the following ways:

struct A { int values[3]; }; // An aggregate type

// 1) Using aggregate initialization with brace elision
// It works only if T is an aggregate type!
std::array<A, 2> a{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
// or equivalently
std::array<A, 2> a = { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

// 2) Using aggregate initialization with brace initialization of sub-elements
std::array<A, 2> a{ A{ 0, 1, 2 }, A{ 3, 4, 5 } };
// or equivalently
std::array<A, 2> a = { A{ 0, 1, 2 }, A{ 3, 4, 5 } };

// 3)
std::array<A, 2> a{{ { 0, 1, 2 }, { 3, 4, 5 } }};
// or equivalently
std::array<A, 2> a = {{ { 0, 1, 2 }, { 3, 4, 5 } }};

// 4) Using the copy constructor
std::array<A, 2> a{ 1, 2, 3 };
std::array<A, 2> a2(a);
// or equivalently
std::array<A, 2> a2 = a;

// 5) Using the move constructor
std::array<A, 2> a = std::array<A, 2>{ 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

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