| Home | Libraries | People | FAQ | More

### Containers

Three containers are provided for interacting with URLs:

Table 1.6. Types

Name | Description
--- | ---
`url` | A valid, modifiable URL which performs dynamic memory allocation to store the character buffer.
`url_view` | A read-only reference to a character buffer containing a valid URL. The view does not retain ownership of the underlying character buffer; instead, it is managed by the caller.
`static_url` | A valid, modifiable URL which stores the character buffer inside the class itself. This is a class template, where the maximum buffer size is a non-type template parameter.

Inheritance provides the observer and modifier public members; class `url_view_base` has all the observers, while class `url_base` has all the modifiers. Although the members are public, these base classes can only be constructed by the library as needed to support the implementation. The class hierarchy looks like this:

Throughout this documentation and especially below, when an observer is discussed, it is applicable to all three derived containers shown in the table above. When a modifier is discussed, it is relevant to the containers `url` and `static_url`. The tables and exposition which follow describe the available observers and modifiers, along with notes relating important behaviors or special requirements.

##### Scheme

The scheme is represented as a case-insensitive string, along with an enumeration constant which acts as a numeric indentifier when the string matches one of the well-known schemes: http, https, ws, wss, file, and ftp. Characters in the scheme are never escaped; only letters and numbers are allowed, and the first character must be a letter.

These members are used to inspect and modify the scheme:

Table 1.7. Scheme Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_scheme` | `bool` | Return `true` if a scheme is present.
`scheme` | `string_view` | Return the scheme as a string, or the empty string if there is no scheme.
`scheme_id` | `scheme` | Return the scheme as an enumerated constant, the value `scheme::unknown` if the scheme is not one of the well-known schemes, or the value `scheme::none` if there is no scheme.

Table 1.8. Scheme Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_scheme` | `string_view` | Set the scheme to a string.
`set_scheme_id` | `scheme` | Set the scheme to a well-known scheme constant.
`remove_scheme` |  | Remove the scheme if present. This includes the trailing colon (":").

##### Authority

The authority is an optional part whose presence is indicated by an unescaped double slash ("//") immediately following the scheme, or at the beginning if the scheme is not present. It contains three components: an optional userinfo, the host, and an optional port. The authority in this diagram has all three components:

An empty authority, corresponding to just a zero-length host component, is distinct from the absence of an authority. These members are used to inspect and modify the authority as a whole string:

Table 1.9. Authority Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_authority` | `bool` | Return `true` if an authority is present.
`authority` | `authority_view` | Return the authority as a decoded string.
`encoded_authority` | `pct_string_view` | Return the authority as a read-only view.

Table 1.10. Authority Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_encoded_authority` | `pct_string_view` | Set the authority to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`remove_authority` |  | Remove the authority if present. This includes the leading double slash ("//").

The paragraphs and tables that follow describe how to interact with the individual parts of the authority.

##### Userinfo

An authority may have an optional userinfo, which consists of a user and optional password. The presence of the userinfo is indicated by an unescaped at sign ("@") which comes afterwards. The password if present is prefixed by an unescaped colon (":"). An empty password string is distinct from no password. This table shows various URLs with userinfos, and the corresponding user and password:

Table 1.11. Userinfo Examples

URL | User | Password | Notes
--- | --- | --- | ---
`//user:pass@` | "user" | "pass" | User and password
`//@` | "" |  | Empty user, no password
`//user@` | "user" |  | No password
`//user:@` | "user" | "" | Empty password
`//:pass@` | "" | "pass" | Empty user
`//:@` | "" | "" | Empty user and password

| Caution
Although the specification allows the format username:password, the password component is deprecated and should be avoided if possible or otherwise used with care. It is not recommended to transfer password data through URLs unless it is an empty string indicating no password.

These members are used to inspect and modify the userinfo:

Table 1.12. Userinfo Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_userinfo` | `bool` | Return `true` if a userinfo is present.
`has_password` | `bool` | Return `true` if a password is present.
`user` | `std::string` | Return the user as a decoded string.
`password` | `std::string` | Return the password as a decoded string.
`userinfo` | `std::string` | Return the userinfo as a decoded string.
`encoded_user` | `pct_string_view` | Return the user.
`encoded_password` | `pct_string_view` | Return the password, or an empty string if no password is present.
`encoded_userinfo` | `pct_string_view` | Return the userinfo.

Table 1.13. Userinfo Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_user` | `string_view` | Set the user to the string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_password` | `string_view` | Set the password to the string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_userinfo` | `string_view` | Set the userinfo to the string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_encoded_user` | `pct_string_view` | Set the user to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_encoded_password` | `pct_string_view` | Set the password to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_encoded_userinfo` | `pct_string_view` | Set the userinfo to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`remove_password` |  | Remove the password if present. This includes the password separator colon (":").
`remove_userinfo` |  | Remove the userinfo if present. This includes the user and password separator colon (":") and the trailing at sign ("@").

##### Host

The host portion of the authority is a string which can be a host name, an IPv4 address, an IPv6 address, or an IPvFuture address depending on the contents. The host is always defined if an authority is present, even if the resulting host string would be zero length.

These members are used to inspect and modify the host:

Table 1.14. Host Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`host_type` | `host_type` | Return the host type enumeration constant. If there is no authority, this is the value `host_type::none`.
`host` | `std::string` | Return the host as a decoded string, or an empty string if there is no authority.
`host_address` | `std::string` | Return the host as a decoded string. If the host type is `host_type::ipv6` or `host_type::ipvfuture`, the enclosing brackets are removed.
`host_name` | `std::string` | Return the host name as a decoded string, or the empty string if the host type is not `host_type::name`.
`host_ipv4_address` | `ipv4_address` | Return the host as an `ipv4_address`. If the host type is not `host_type::ipv4`, a default-constructed value is returned.
`host_ipv6_address` | `ipv6_address` | Return the host as an `ipv6_address`. If the host type is not `host_type::ipv6`, a default-constructed value is returned.
`host_ipvfuture` | `string_view` | Return the host as a string without enclosing brackets if the host type is `host_type::ipvfuture`, otherwise return an empty string.
`encoded_host` | `pct_string_view` | Return the host, or an empty string if there is no authority. This includes enclosing brackets if the host type is `host_type::ipv6` or `host_type::ipvfuture`.
`encoded_host_address` | `pct_string_view` | Return the host. If the host type is `host_type::ipv6` or `host_type::ipvfuture`, the enclosing brackets are removed.
`encoded_host_name` | `pct_string_view` | Return the host name as a string. If the host type is not `host_type::name`, an empty string is returned.

Table 1.15. Host Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---

`set_host`

`string_view`

Set the host to the string, depending on the contents. If the string is a valid IPv4 address, a valid IPv6 address enclosed in brackets, or a valid IPvFuture address enclosed in brackets then the resulting host type is `host_type::ipv4`, `host_type::ipv6`, or `host_type::ipvfuture` respectively. Otherwise, the host type is `host_type::name`, and any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.

`set_host_address`

`string_view`

Set the host to the string, depending on the contents. If the string is a valid IPv4 address, a valid IPv6 address, or a valid IPvFuture address then the resulting host type is `host_type::ipv4`, `host_type::ipv6`, or `host_type::ipvfuture` respectively. Otherwise, the host type is `host_type::name`, and any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.

`set_host_ipv4` | `ipv4_address` | Set the host to the IPv4 address. The host type is `host_type::ipv4`.
`set_host_ipv6` | `ipv6_address` | Set the host to the IPv6 address. The host type is `host_type::ipv6`.
`set_host_ipvfuture` | `string_view` | Set the host to the IPvFuture address, which should not include square brackets. The host type is `host_type::ipvfuture`. If the string is not a valid IPvFuture address, an exception is thrown.
`set_host_name` | `string_view` | Set the host to the string. Any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically. The host type is `host_type::name`.

`set_encoded_host`

`pct_string_view`

Set the host to the string, depending on the contents. If the string is a valid IPv4 address, a valid IPv6 address enclosed in brackets, or a valid IPvFuture address enclosed in brackets then the resulting host type is `host_type::ipv4`, `host_type::ipv6`, or `host_type::ipvfuture` respectively. Otherwise, the host type is `host_type::name`, the string may contain percent escapes, and any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.

`set_encoded_host_address`

`pct_string_view`

Set the host to the string, depending on the contents. If the string is a valid IPv4 address, a valid IPv6 address, or a valid IPvFuture address then the resulting host type is `host_type::ipv4`, `host_type::ipv6`, or `host_type::ipvfuture` respectively. Otherwise, the host type is `host_type::name`, the string may contain percent escapes, and and any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.

`set_encoded_host_name` | `pct_string_view` | Set the host to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Any reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically. The host type is `host_type::name`.

##### Port

The port is a string of digits, possibly of zero length. The presence of a port is indicated by a colon prefix (":") appearing after the host and userinfo. A zero length port string is distinct from the absence of a port. The library represents the port with both a decimal string and an unsigned 16-bit integer. If the numeric value of the string would exceed the range of the integer, then it is mapped to the number zero.

These members are used to inspect and modify the port:

Table 1.16. Port Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_port` | `bool` | Return `true` if a port is present.
`port` | `string_view` | Return the port as a string, or an empty string if there is no port.
`port_number` | `std::uint16_t` | Return the port as an unsigned integer. If the number would be greater than 65535, then zero is returned.

Table 1.17. Port Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_port` | `string_view` | Set the port to a string. If the string contains any character which is not a digit, an exception is thrown.
`set_port_number` | `std::uint16_t` | Set the port to a number.
`remove_port` |  | Remove the port if present. This does not remove the authority.

##### Path

Depending on the scheme, the path may be treated as a string, or as a hierarchically structured sequence of segments delimited by unescaped forward-slashes ("/"). A path is always defined for every URL, even if it is the empty string.

These members are used to inspect and modify the path:

Table 1.18. Path Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`is_path_absolute` | `bool` | Return `true` if the path starts with a forward slash ("/").
`path` | `std::string` | Return the path as a decoded string.
`encoded_path` | `pct_string_view` | Return the path.
`segments` | `segments_view` | Return the path as a range of decoded segments.
`encoded_segments` | `segments_encoded_view` | Return the path as a range of segments.

Table 1.19. Path Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_path` | `string_view` | Set the path to the string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_path_absolute` | `bool` | Set whether the path is absolute.
`set_encoded_path` | `pct_string_view` | Set the path to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`segments` | `segments_ref` | Return the path as a modifiable range of decoded segments.
`encoded_segments` | `segments_encoded_ref` | Return the path as a modifiable range of segments.

The segments-based containers `segments_view`, `segments_ref`, `segments_encoded_view`, and `segments_encoded_ref` are discussed in a later section.

##### Query

Depending on the scheme, the query may be treated as a string, or as a structured series of key-value pairs (called "params") separated by unescaped ampersands ("&"). The query is optional; an empty query string is distinct from no query.

These members are used to inspect and modify the query:

Table 1.20. Query Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_query` | `bool` | Return `true` if a query is present.
`query` | `std::string` | Return the query as a decoded string.
`encoded_query` | `pct_string_view` | Return the query.
`params` | `params_view` | Return the query as a read-only range of decoded params.
`encoded_params` | `params_encoded_view` | Return the query as a read-only range of params.

Table 1.21. Query Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_query` | `string_view` | Set the query to a string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_encoded_query` | `pct_string_view` | Set the query to a string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`params` | `params_ref` | Return the query as a modifiable range of decoded params.
`encoded_params` | `params_encoded_ref` | Return the query as a modifiable range of params.
`remove_query` |  | Remove the query. This also removes the leading question mark ("?") if present.

The params-based containers `params_view`, `params_ref`, `params_encoded_view`, and `params_encoded_ref` are discussed in a later section.

##### Fragment

The fragment is treated as a string; there is no common, structured interpretation of the contents.

These members are used to inspect and modify the fragment:

Table 1.22. Fragment Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`has_fragment` | `bool` | Return `true` if a fragment is present.
`fragment` | `std::string` | Return the fragment as a decoded string.
`encoded_fragment` | `pct_string_view` | Return the fragment.

Table 1.23. Fragment Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`set_fragment` | `string_view` | Set the fragment to the string. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`set_encoded_fragment` | `pct_string_view` | Set the fragment to the string, which may contain percent escapes. Reserved characters are percent-escaped automatically.
`remove_fragment` |  | Remove the fragment. This also removes the leading pound sign ("#") if present.

##### Compound Fields

For convenience, these observers and modifiers for aggregated subsets of the URL are provided:

Table 1.24. Compound Field Observers

Function | Return Type | Description
--- | --- | ---
`encoded_host_and_port` | `pct_string_view` | Return the host and port as a string with percent escapes.
`encoded_origin` | `pct_string_view` | Return only the scheme and authority parts as an individual string.
`encoded_resource` | `pct_string_view` | Return only the path, query, and fragment parts as an individual string.
`encoded_target` | `pct_string_view` | Return only the path and query parts as an individual string.

Table 1.25. Compound Field Modifiers

Function | Parameters | Description
--- | --- | ---
`remove_origin` |  | Remove the scheme and authority parts from the URL.