stduint

stduint is a header file in the C++ programming language that provides fixed-width integer types. These types ensure that an integer variable has a specific size in bits, regardless of the underlying architecture of the system. This is crucial for writing portable code that behaves identically across different platforms.

The header file stdint.h, which is also available in C, was incorporated into C++ starting with the C++11 standard as <cstdint>. This provides C++ developers with access to the same fixed-width integer types.

The types defined in <cstdint> include: int8_t, int16_t, int32_t, and int64_t for signed integers, and uint8_t, uint16_t, uint32_t, and uint64_t for unsigned integers. Additionally, there are types like int_fast8_t, uint_fast8_t, int_least8_t, and uint_least8_t which represent the fastest or smallest integer types that are at least a certain number of bits wide. The header also defines ptrdiff_t, size_t, intptr_t, and uintptr_t for representing pointer differences, object sizes, and integer types that can hold pointer values, respectively.

Using these fixed-width types enhances code clarity and predictability, especially when dealing with binary data, network protocols, or low-level hardware interactions where precise memory representation is essential. They prevent unexpected behavior that can arise from differing integer sizes on different compilers or operating systems.