std::ranges::min

Defined in header `<algorithm>`
Call signature
template < class T, class Proj = std::identity, std::indirect_strict_weak_order < std:: projected < const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less > constexpr const T& min( const T& a, const T& b, Comp comp = { }, Proj proj = { } ) ;	(1)	(since C++20)
template < std::copyable T, class Proj = std::identity, std::indirect_strict_weak_order < std:: projected < const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less > constexpr T min( std::initializer_list <T> r, Comp comp = { }, Proj proj = { } ) ;	(2)	(since C++20)
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::range_value_t <R> min( R&& r, Comp comp = { }, Proj proj = { } ) ;	(3)	(since C++20)

Returns the smaller of the given projected elements.

1) Returns the smaller of a and b.

2) Returns the first smallest element in the initializer list r.

3) Returns the first smallest value in the range r.

The function-like entities described on this page are algorithm function objects (informally known as niebloids), that is:

Explicit template argument lists cannot be specified when calling any of them.
None of them are visible to argument-dependent lookup.
When any of them are found by normal unqualified lookup as the name to the left of the function-call operator, argument-dependent lookup

Parameters

a, b	-	the values to compare
r	-	the range of values to compare
comp	-	comparison to apply to the projected elements
proj	-	projection to apply to the elements

Return value

1) The smaller of a and b, according to the projection. If they are equivalent, returns a

2,3) The smallest element in r, according to the projection. If several values are equivalent to the smallest, returns the leftmost one. If the range is empty (as determined by ranges::distance(r)

Complexity

1) Exactly one comparison.

2,3) Exactly ranges::distance (r) - 1

Possible implementation

struct min_fn
{
    template<class T, class Proj = std::identity,
             std::indirect_strict_weak_order<
                 std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less>
    constexpr
    const T& operator()(const T& a, const T& b, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        return std::invoke(comp, std::invoke(proj, b), std::invoke(proj, a)) ? b : a;
    }
 
    template<std::copyable T, class Proj = std::identity,
             std::indirect_strict_weak_order<
                 std::projected<const T*, Proj>> Comp = ranges::less>
    constexpr
    T operator()(std::initializer_list<T> r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        return *ranges::min_element(r, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj));
    }
 
    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::range_value_t<R> operator()(R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        using V = ranges::range_value_t<R>;
        if constexpr (ranges::forward_range<R>)
            return
                static_cast<V>(*ranges::min_element(r, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj)));
        else
        {
            auto i = ranges::begin(r);
            auto s = ranges::end(r);
            V m(*i);
            while (++i != s)
                if (std::invoke(comp, std::invoke(proj, *i), std::invoke(proj, m)))
                    m = *i;
            return m;
        }
    }
};
 
inline constexpr min_fn min;

Notes

Capturing the result of std::ranges::min by reference produces a dangling reference if one of the parameters is a temporary and that parameter is returned:

int n = -1;
const int& r = std::ranges::min(n + 2, n * 2); // r is dangling

Example

Run this code

#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
 
int main()
{
    namespace ranges = std::ranges;
    using namespace std::string_view_literals;
 
    std::cout << "smaller of 1 and 9999: " << ranges::min(1, 9999) << '\n'
              << "smaller of 'a', and 'b': '" << ranges::min('a', 'b') << "'\n"
              << "shortest of \"foo\", \"bar\", and \"hello\": \""
              << ranges::min({"foo"sv, "bar"sv, "hello"sv}, {},
                             &std::string_view::size) << "\"\n";
}

Output:

smaller of 1 and 9999: 1
smaller of 'a', and 'b': 'a'
shortest of "foo", "bar", and "hello": "foo"

Compiler support
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Language
Standard library
Standard library headers
Named requirements
Feature test macros (C++20)
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Concepts library (C++20)
Diagnostics library
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Metaprogramming library (C++11)
General utilities library
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Iterators library
Ranges library (C++20)
Algorithms library
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Concurrency support library (C++11)
Execution support library (C++26)
Technical specifications
Symbols index
External libraries

ranges::max (C++20)	returns the greater of the given values (algorithm function object)
ranges::minmax (C++20)	returns the smaller and larger of two elements (algorithm function object)
ranges::min_element (C++20)	returns the smallest element in a range (algorithm function object)
ranges::clamp (C++20)	clamps a value between a pair of boundary values (algorithm function object)
min	returns the smaller of the given values (function template)