# std::future

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< cpp‎ | thread

Defined in header `<future>` |  |
template< class T > class future; | (1) | (since C++11)
template< class T > class future<T&>; | (2) | (since C++11)
template<> class future<void>; | (3) | (since C++11)

The class template `std::future` provides a mechanism to access the result of asynchronous operations:

- An asynchronous operation (created via std::async, std::packaged_task, or std::promise) can provide a `std::future` object to the creator of that asynchronous operation.

- The creator of the asynchronous operation can then use a variety of methods to query, wait for, or extract a value from the `std::future`. These methods may block if the asynchronous operation has not yet provided a value.

- When the asynchronous operation is ready to send a result to the creator, it can do so by modifying shared state (e.g. std::promise::set_value) that is linked to the creator's `std::future`.

Note that `std::future` references shared state that is not shared with any other asynchronous return objects (as opposed to std::shared_future).

### Member functions

(constructor) | constructs the future object (public member function)
(destructor) | destructs the future object (public member function)
operator= | moves the future object (public member function)
share | transfers the shared state from `*this` to a `shared_future` and returns it (public member function)
##### Getting the result
get | returns the result (public member function)
##### State
valid | checks if the future has a shared state (public member function)
wait | waits for the result to become available (public member function)
wait_for | waits for the result, returns if it is not available for the specified timeout duration (public member function)
wait_until | waits for the result, returns if it is not available until specified time point has been reached (public member function)

### Example

Run this code

    #include <iostream>
    #include <future>
    #include <thread>

    int main()
    {
        // future from a packaged_task
        std::packaged_task<int()> task([]{ return 7; }); // wrap the function
        std::future<int> f1 = task.get_future();  // get a future
        std::thread t(std::move(task)); // launch on a thread

        // future from an async()
        std::future<int> f2 = std::async(std::launch::async, []{ return 8; });

        // future from a promise
        std::promise<int> p;
        std::future<int> f3 = p.get_future();
        std::thread( [&p]{ p.set_value_at_thread_exit(9); }).detach();

        std::cout << "Waiting..." << std::flush;
        f1.wait();
        f2.wait();
        f3.wait();
        std::cout << "Done!\nResults are: "
                  << f1.get() << ' ' << f2.get() << ' ' << f3.get() << '\n';
        t.join();
    }

Output:

    Waiting...Done!
    Results are: 7 8 9

### See also

async (C++11) | runs a function asynchronously (potentially in a new thread) and returns a std::future that will hold the result (function template)
shared_future (C++11) | waits for a value (possibly referenced by other futures) that is set asynchronously (class template)

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