Why is sizeof called a compile-time operator?

Question

Originally, this is a part of another question.

Why is sizeof called a compile-time operator? Isn't it actually a run-time operator? And if it is indeed a compile-time operator, how does it help in producing portable code which runs the same in different computers ? Please explain in detail.

• gnat: answered in details at SO: Why does sizeof(x++) not increment x?
• user40980: How do you expect the size of a type to change at runtime?
• Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica: @MichaelT: The size of an instance of a type can certainly change -- there's class polymorphism, after all. I'd argue that sizeof(polymorphic_ptr*) being constant is quite counter-intuitive and just silly. Yeah, it's the C++ way, but silly nevertheless.
• user40980: @KubaOber Indeed. I'm just curious how the OP thought it should behave in different cases and hopefully get some code that would demonstrate his confusion over this to help expand the question.
• Ben Jackson: Came to upvote the answer "because it operates at compile time", left disappointed.

Answer 1

sizeof() gives you the size of the data type, not the size of a particular instance of that type in memory.

For example, if you had a string data object that allocated a variable size character array at runtime, sizeof() could not be used to determine the size of that character array. It would only give you the size of the pointer.

The size of a data type is always known at compile time.

• C. Ross: Because C(++) doesn't have run-time object metadata you can't really get those things at run time either.
• sepp2k: Actually, if you use sizeof on an array, you will get the size of the array (that is the element size times the number of elements). But if you use it on a pointer, you only get the size of the pointer. So, since in most cases where you'd like to know the size of an array, you only have a pointer, it's not all that useful.
• authchir: @Jens The question is tagged [C++] and VLA did not make it into the C++ standard.

Answer 2

because the entire sizeof "call" is calculated at compile time and whatever is between the parenthesis is discarded and not run at runtime,

the result is purely based on static type info available to the compiler

Answer 3

Why is sizeof called a compile-time operator?

Because, at compile time, the compiler calculates the sizeof the expression and substitutes that compile-time constant value.

Isn't it actually a run-time operator?

No. You can even use sizeof to evaluate the size of expressions you can't legally execute (ie, that would incur Undefined Behaviour), so long as the compiler can figure out what the type of the expression is.

Also, even before C++11 constexpr, you can use sizeof expressions in ways you can't use run-time expressions.

And if it is indeed a compile-time operator, how does it help in producing portable code ...

Types may vary in size on different platforms. Using sizeof expressions instead of hard-coded assumptions means your code won't break when you compile on a different platform and your types change size.

• Shravan: Well, I find this the most useful answer ;). Bro(assuming you to be male), I have a doubt. Do you mean to say that when people say that sizeof makes programs portable, they mean that the source code can be compiled without any errors in all machines and they don't mean that the the executable program can be run in any machine. Right ? If this is right, my doubt gets really cleared.
• Useless: Yeah, the code is portable, in the sense you can compile a (different) correct binary for each platform.

Answer 4

C++ doesn't actually store the metadata for objects at runtime so size checking must be compile time. For an example of how C++ doesn't validate size, declare an array of int of some arbitrary size and read past the end of it. If you're lucky you'll get a segfault but more likely you'll simply read gibberish, because C++ doesn't track the size of your array.

See Can a C/C++ program seg-fault from reading past the end of an array (UNIX)? for an example from SO.