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std::remove_reference - cppreference.com

From cppreference.com

template< class T > struct remove_reference;

 (since C++11)

If the type T is a reference type, provides the member typedef type which is the type referred to by T. Otherwise type is T.

If the program adds specializations for std::remove_reference, the behavior is undefined.

Member types

Name Definition
type the type referred by T or T if it is not a reference

Helper types

template< class T > using remove_reference_t = typename remove_reference<T>::type;

 (since C++14)

Possible implementation

template<class T> struct remove_reference { typedef T type; };
template<class T> struct remove_reference<T&> { typedef T type; };
template<class T> struct remove_reference<T&&> { typedef T type; };

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <type_traits>

int main()
{
    std::cout << std::boolalpha;

    std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int>::type is int? "
              << std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int>::type>::value << '\n';
    std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int&>::type is int? "
              << std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int&>::type>::value << '\n';
    std::cout << "std::remove_reference<int&&>::type is int? "
              << std::is_same<int, std::remove_reference<int&&>::type>::value << '\n';
    std::cout << "std::remove_reference<const int&>::type is const int? "
              << std::is_same<const int,
                              std::remove_reference<const int&>::type>::value << '\n';
}

Output: 

std::remove_reference<int>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<int&>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<int&&>::type is int? true
std::remove_reference<const int&>::type is const int? true

See also