# Standard library header <future>

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This header is part of the thread support library.

### Classes
promise (C++11) | stores a value for asynchronous retrieval (class template)
packaged_task (C++11) | packages a function to store its return value for asynchronous retrieval (class template)
future (C++11) | waits for a value that is set asynchronously (class template)
shared_future (C++11) | waits for a value (possibly referenced by other futures) that is set asynchronously (class template)
launch (C++11) | specifies the launch policy for std::async (enum)
future_status (C++11) | specifies the results of timed waits performed on std::future and std::shared_future (enum)
future_error (C++11) | reports an error related to futures or promises (class)
future_errc (C++11) | identifies the future error codes (enum)
std::uses_allocator<std::promise> (C++11) | specializes the std::uses_allocator type trait (class template specialization)
std::uses_allocator<std::packaged_task> (C++11)(until C++17) | specializes the std::uses_allocator type trait (class template specialization)
### Functions
async (C++11) | runs a function asynchronously (potentially in a new thread) and returns a std::future that will hold the result (function template)
future_category (C++11) | identifies the future error category (function)
std::swap(std::promise) (C++11) | specializes the std::swap algorithm (function template)
std::swap(std::packaged_task) (C++11) | specializes the std::swap algorithm (function template)

### Synopsis

    namespace std {
        enum class future_errc {
            broken_promise = /*implementation-defined*/,
            future_already_retrieved = /*implementation-defined*/,
            promise_already_satisfied = /*implementation-defined*/,
            no_state = /*implementation-defined*/
        };

        enum class launch : /*unspecified*/ {
            async = /*unspecified*/,
            deferred = /*unspecified*/,
            /*implementation-defined*/
        };

        enum class future_status {
            ready,
            timeout,
            deferred
        };

        template <>
        struct is_error_code_enum<future_errc> : public true_type { };

        error_code make_error_code(future_errc e) noexcept;
        error_condition make_error_condition(future_errc e) noexcept;
        const error_category& future_category() noexcept;

        class future_error;

        template <class R> class promise;
        template <class R> class promise<R&>;
        template <> class promise<void>;

        template <class R>
        void swap(promise<R>& x, promise<R>& y) noexcept;

        template <class R, class Alloc>
        struct uses_allocator<promise<R>, Alloc> : true_type {};

        template <class R> class future;
        template <class R> class future<R&>;
        template <> class future<void>;

        template <class R> class shared_future;
        template <class R> class shared_future<R&>;
        template <> class shared_future<void>;

        template <class> class packaged_task; // undefined
        template <class R, class... ArgTypes>
        class packaged_task<R(ArgTypes...)>;

        template <class R>
        void swap(packaged_task<R(ArgTypes...)>&,
                  packaged_task<R(ArgTypes...)>&) noexcept;

        template <class R, class Alloc>
        struct uses_allocator<packaged_task<R>, Alloc> : true_type {};

        template <class F, class... Args>
         future<result_of_t<decay_t<F>(decay_t<Args>...)>>
         async(F&& f, Args&&... args);

        template <class F, class... Args>
         future<result_of_t<decay_t<F>(decay_t<Args>...)>>
         async(launch policy, F&& f, Args&&... args);
    }

#### Class std::future_error

    class future_error : public logic_error {
     public:
        explicit future_error(error_code ec); // exposition only until C++17
        const error_code& code() const noexcept;
        const char* what() const noexcept;
    };

#### Class std::promise

    template <class R>
    class promise {
     public:
        promise();
        template <class Allocator>
        promise(allocator_arg_t, const Allocator& a);
        promise(promise&& rhs) noexcept;
        promise(const promise& rhs) = delete;
        ~promise();

        // assignment
        promise& operator=(promise&& rhs) noexcept;
        promise& operator=(const promise& rhs) = delete;
        void swap(promise& other) noexcept;

        // retrieving the result
        future<R> get_future();

        // setting the result
        void set_value(/*see description*/);
        void set_exception(exception_ptr p);

        // setting the result with deferred notification
        void set_value_at_thread_exit(/*see description*/);
        void set_exception_at_thread_exit(exception_ptr p);
    };

#### Class std::future

    template <class R>
    class future {
     public:
        future() noexcept;
        future(future &&) noexcept;
        future(const future& rhs) = delete;
        ~future();
        future& operator=(const future& rhs) = delete;
        future& operator=(future&&) noexcept;
        shared_future<R> share();

        // retrieving the value
        /*see description*/ get();

        // functions to check state
        bool valid() const noexcept;
        void wait() const;
        template <class Rep, class Period>
        future_status wait_for(const chrono::duration<Rep, Period>& rel_time) const;
        template <class Clock, class Duration>
        future_status wait_until(const chrono::time_point<Clock, Duration>& abs_time) const;
    };

#### Class std::shared_future

    template <class R>
    class shared_future {
     public:
        shared_future() noexcept;
        shared_future(const shared_future& rhs);
        shared_future(future<R>&&) noexcept;
        shared_future(shared_future&& rhs) noexcept;
        ~shared_future();
        shared_future& operator=(const shared_future& rhs);
        shared_future& operator=(shared_future&& rhs) noexcept;

        // retrieving the value
        /*see description*/ get() const;

        // functions to check state
        bool valid() const noexcept;
        void wait() const;
        template <class Rep, class Period>
        future_status wait_for(const chrono::duration<Rep, Period>& rel_time) const;
        template <class Clock, class Duration>
        future_status wait_until(const chrono::time_point<Clock, Duration>& abs_time) const;
    };

#### Class std::packaged_task

    template<class> class packaged_task; // undefined

    template<class R, class... ArgTypes>
    class packaged_task<R(ArgTypes...)> {
     public:
        // construction and destruction
        packaged_task() noexcept;
        template <class F>
        explicit packaged_task(F&& f);
        template <class F, class Allocator>
        explicit packaged_task(allocator_arg_t, const Allocator& a, F&& f); // until C++17
        ~packaged_task();

        // no copy
        packaged_task(const packaged_task&) = delete;
        packaged_task& operator=(const packaged_task&) = delete;

        // move support
        packaged_task(packaged_task&& rhs) noexcept;
        packaged_task& operator=(packaged_task&& rhs) noexcept;

        void swap(packaged_task& other) noexcept;
        bool valid() const noexcept;

        // result retrieval
        future<R> get_future();

        // execution
        void operator()(ArgTypes... );
        void make_ready_at_thread_exit(ArgTypes...);

        void reset();
    };

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