# Standard library header <compare>

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< cpp‎ | header

This header is part of the general utility library.

### Classes

weak_equality (C++20) | the result type of 3-way comparison that supports only equality/inequality and is not substitutable (class)
strong_equality (C++20) | the result type of 3-way comparison that supports only equality/inequality and is substitutable (class)
partial_ordering (C++20) | the result type of 3-way comparison that supports all 6 operators, is not substitutable, and allows incomparable values (class)
weak_ordering (C++20) | the result type of 3-way comparison that supports all 6 operators and is not substitutable (class)
strong_ordering (C++20) | the result type of 3-way comparison that supports all 6 operators and is substitutable (class)
common_comparison_category (C++20) | the strongest comparison category to which all of the given types can be converted (class template)

### Functions

is_eq is_neq is_lt is_lteq is_gt is_gteq (C++20) | named comparison functions (function)
strong_order (C++20) | performs 3-way comparison and produces a result of type std::strong_ordering (function template)
weak_order (C++20) | performs 3-way comparison and produces a result of type std::weak_ordering (function template)
partial_order (C++20) | performs 3-way comparison and produces a result of type std::partial_ordering (function template)
strong_equal (C++20) | performs 3-way comparison and produces a result of type std::strong_equality (function template)
weak_equal (C++20) | performs 3-way comparison and produces a result of type std::weak_equality (function template)

## Synopsis

    namespace std {
      // comparison category types
      class weak_equality;
      class strong_equality;
      class partial_ordering;
      class weak_ordering;
      class strong_ordering;
      // named comparison functions
      constexpr bool is_eq (weak_equality cmp) noexcept { return cmp == 0; }
      constexpr bool is_neq (weak_equality cmp) noexcept { return cmp != 0; }
      constexpr bool is_lt (partial_ordering cmp) noexcept { return cmp < 0; }
      constexpr bool is_lteq(partial_ordering cmp) noexcept { return cmp <= 0; }
      constexpr bool is_gt (partial_ordering cmp) noexcept { return cmp > 0; }
      constexpr bool is_gteq(partial_ordering cmp) noexcept { return cmp >= 0; }
      // common comparison category type
      template<class... Ts>
      struct common_comparison_category {
        using type = /* see definition */ ;
      };
      template<class... Ts>
      using common_comparison_category_t = typename common_comparison_category<Ts...>::type;
      // comparison algorithms
      template<class T> constexpr strong_ordering strong_order(const T& a, const T& b);
      template<class T> constexpr weak_ordering weak_order(const T& a, const T& b);
      template<class T> constexpr partial_ordering partial_order(const T& a, const T& b);
      template<class T> constexpr strong_equality strong_equal(const T& a, const T& b);
      template<class T> constexpr weak_equality weak_equal(const T& a, const T& b);
    }

#### Class std::weak_equality

    namespace std {
      class weak_equality {
        int value; // exposition only
        // exposition-only constructor
        explicit constexpr weak_equality(eq v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        public:
        // valid values
        static const weak_equality equivalent;
        static const weak_equality nonequivalent;
        // comparisons
        friend constexpr bool operator==(weak_equality v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(weak_equality v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator==(/*unspecified*/ , weak_equality v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(/*unspecified*/ , weak_equality v) noexcept;
      };
      // valid values’ definitions
      inline constexpr weak_equality weak_equality::equivalent(eq::equivalent);
      inline constexpr weak_equality weak_equality::nonequivalent(eq::nonequivalent);
    }

#### Class std::strong_equality

    namespace std {
      class strong_equality {
        int value; // exposition only
        // exposition-only constructor
        explicit constexpr strong_equality(eq v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        public:
        // valid values
        static const strong_equality equal;
        static const strong_equality nonequal;
        static const strong_equality equivalent;
        static const strong_equality nonequivalent;
        // conversion
        constexpr operator weak_equality() const noexcept;
        // comparisons
        friend constexpr bool operator==(strong_equality v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(strong_equality v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator==(/*unspecified*/ , strong_equality v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(/*unspecified*/ , strong_equality v) noexcept;
      };
      // valid values’ definitions
      inline constexpr strong_equality strong_equality::equal(eq::equal);
      inline constexpr strong_equality strong_equality::nonequal(eq::nonequal);
      inline constexpr strong_equality strong_equality::equivalent(eq::equivalent);
      inline constexpr strong_equality strong_equality::nonequivalent(eq::nonequivalent);
    }

#### Class std::partial_ordering

    namespace std {
      class partial_ordering {
        int value; // exposition only
        bool is_ordered; // exposition only
        // exposition-only constructors
        explicit constexpr
        partial_ordering(eq v) noexcept : value(int(v)), is_ordered(true) {} // exposition only
        explicit constexpr
        partial_ordering(ord v) noexcept : value(int(v)), is_ordered(true) {} // exposition only
        explicit constexpr
        partial_ordering(ncmp v) noexcept : value(int(v)), is_ordered(false) {} // exposition only
        public:
        // valid values
        static const partial_ordering less;
        static const partial_ordering equivalent;
        static const partial_ordering greater;
        static const partial_ordering unordered;
        // conversion
        constexpr operator weak_equality() const noexcept;
        // comparisons
        friend constexpr bool operator==(partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(partial_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator==(/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(/*unspecified*/ , partial_ordering v) noexcept;
      };
      // valid values’ definitions
      inline constexpr partial_ordering partial_ordering::less(ord::less);
      inline constexpr partial_ordering partial_ordering::equivalent(eq::equivalent);
      inline constexpr partial_ordering partial_ordering::greater(ord::greater);
      inline constexpr partial_ordering partial_ordering::unordered(ncmp::unordered);
    }

#### Class std::weak_ordering

    namespace std {
      class weak_ordering {
        int value; // exposition only
        // exposition-only constructors
        explicit constexpr weak_ordering(eq v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        explicit constexpr weak_ordering(ord v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        public:
        // valid values
        static const weak_ordering less;
        static const weak_ordering equivalent;
        static const weak_ordering greater;
        // conversions
        constexpr operator weak_equality() const noexcept;
        constexpr operator partial_ordering() const noexcept;
        // comparisons
        friend constexpr bool operator==(weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(weak_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator==(/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(/*unspecified*/ , weak_ordering v) noexcept;
      };
      // valid values’ definitions
      inline constexpr weak_ordering weak_ordering::less(ord::less);
      inline constexpr weak_ordering weak_ordering::equivalent(eq::equivalent);
      inline constexpr weak_ordering weak_ordering::greater(ord::greater);
    }

#### Class std::strong_ordering

    namespace std {
      class strong_ordering {
        int value; // exposition only
        // exposition-only constructors
        explicit constexpr strong_ordering(eq v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        explicit constexpr strong_ordering(ord v) noexcept : value(int(v)) {} // exposition only
        public:
        // valid values
        static const strong_ordering less;
        static const strong_ordering equal;
        static const strong_ordering equivalent;
        static const strong_ordering greater;
        // conversions
        constexpr operator weak_equality() const noexcept;
        constexpr operator strong_equality() const noexcept;
        constexpr operator partial_ordering() const noexcept;
        constexpr operator weak_ordering() const noexcept;
        // comparisons
        friend constexpr bool operator==(strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(strong_ordering v, /*unspecified*/ ) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator==(/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator!=(/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator< (/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator<=(/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator> (/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
        friend constexpr bool operator>=(/*unspecified*/ , strong_ordering v) noexcept;
      };
      // valid values’ definitions
      inline constexpr strong_ordering strong_ordering::less(ord::less);
      inline constexpr strong_ordering strong_ordering::equal(eq::equal);
      inline constexpr strong_ordering strong_ordering::equivalent(eq::equivalent);
      inline constexpr strong_ordering strong_ordering::greater(ord::greater);
    }

### See also

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