The result of the expression reinterpret_cast<T>(v) is the result of converting the expression v to type T. If T is an lvalue reference type or an rvalue reference to function type, the result is an lvalue; if T is an rvalue reference to object type, the result is an xvalue; otherwise, the result is a prvalue and the lvalue-to-rvalue ([conv.lval]), array-to-pointer ([conv.array]), and function-to-pointer ([conv.func]) standard conversions are performed on the expression v. Conversions that can be performed explicitly using reinterpret_cast are listed below. No other conversion can be performed explicitly using reinterpret_cast.
The reinterpret_cast operator shall not cast away constness ([expr.const.cast]). An expression of integral, enumeration, pointer, or pointer-to-member type can be explicitly converted to its own type; such a cast yields the value of its operand.
[ Note: The mapping performed by reinterpret_cast might, or might not, produce a representation different from the original value. — end note ]
A pointer can be explicitly converted to any integral type large enough to hold it. The mapping function is implementation-defined. [ Note: It is intended to be unsurprising to those who know the addressing structure of the underlying machine. — end note ] A value of type std::nullptr_t can be converted to an integral type; the conversion has the same meaning and validity as a conversion of (void*)0 to the integral type. [ Note: A reinterpret_cast cannot be used to convert a value of any type to the type std::nullptr_t. — end note ]
A value of integral type or enumeration type can be explicitly converted to a pointer. A pointer converted to an integer of sufficient size (if any such exists on the implementation) and back to the same pointer type will have its original value; mappings between pointers and integers are otherwise implementation-defined. [ Note: Except as described in [basic.stc.dynamic.safety], the result of such a conversion will not be a safely-derived pointer value. — end note ]
A function pointer can be explicitly converted to a function pointer of a different type. The effect of calling a function through a pointer to a function type ([dcl.fct]) that is not the same as the type used in the definition of the function is undefined. Except that converting a prvalue of type “pointer to T1” to the type “pointer to T2” (where T1 and T2 are function types) and back to its original type yields the original pointer value, the result of such a pointer conversion is unspecified. [ Note: see also [conv.ptr] for more details of pointer conversions. — end note ]
An object pointer can be explicitly converted to an object pointer of a different type.70 When a prvalue v of type “pointer to T1” is converted to the type “pointer to cv T2”, the result is static_cast<cv T2*>(static_cast<cv void*>(v)) if both T1 and T2 are standard-layout types ([basic.types]) and the alignment requirements of T2 are no stricter than those of T1, or if either type is void. Converting a prvalue of type “pointer to T1” to the type “pointer to T2” (where T1 and T2 are object types and where the alignment requirements of T2 are no stricter than those of T1) and back to its original type yields the original pointer value. The result of any other such pointer conversion is unspecified.
Converting a function pointer to an object pointer type or vice versa is conditionally-supported. The meaning of such a conversion is implementation-defined, except that if an implementation supports conversions in both directions, converting a prvalue of one type to the other type and back, possibly with different cv-qualification, shall yield the original pointer value.
The null pointer value ([conv.ptr]) is converted to the null pointer value of the destination type. [ Note: A null pointer constant of type std::nullptr_t cannot be converted to a pointer type, and a null pointer constant of integral type is not necessarily converted to a null pointer value. — end note ]
A prvalue of type “pointer to member of X of type T1” can be explicitly converted to a prvalue of a different type “pointer to member of Y of type T2” if T1 and T2 are both function types or both object types.71 The null member pointer value ([conv.mem]) is converted to the null member pointer value of the destination type. The result of this conversion is unspecified, except in the following cases:
converting a prvalue of type “pointer to member function” to a different pointer to member function type and back to its original type yields the original pointer to member value.
converting a prvalue of type “pointer to data member of X of type T1” to the type “pointer to data member of Y of type T2” (where the alignment requirements of T2 are no stricter than those of T1) and back to its original type yields the original pointer to member value.
An lvalue expression of type T1 can be cast to the type “reference to T2” if an expression of type “pointer to T1” can be explicitly converted to the type “pointer to T2” using a reinterpret_cast. That is, a reference cast reinterpret_cast<T&>(x) has the same effect as the conversion *reinterpret_cast<T*>(&x) with the built-in & and * operators (and similarly for reinterpret_cast<T&&>(x)). The result refers to the same object as the source lvalue, but with a different type. The result is an lvalue for an lvalue reference type or an rvalue reference to function type and an xvalue for an rvalue reference to object type. No temporary is created, no copy is made, and constructors ([class.ctor]) or conversion functions ([class.conv]) are not called.72
The types may have different cv-qualifiers, subject to the overall restriction that a reinterpret_cast cannot cast away constness.
T1 and T2 may have different cv-qualifiers, subject to the overall restriction that a reinterpret_cast cannot cast away constness.