C++ attribute: fallthrough (since C++17)

 

C++

Compiler support

Freestanding and hosted

Language

Standard library

Standard library headers

Named requirements

Feature test macros (C++20)

Language support library

Concepts library (C++20)

Diagnostics library

Memory management library

Metaprogramming library (C++11)

General utilities library

Containers library

Iterators library

Ranges library (C++20)

Algorithms library

Strings library

Text processing library

Numerics library

Date and time library

Input/output library

Filesystem library (C++17)

Concurrency support library (C++11)

Execution control library (C++26)

Technical specifications

Symbols index

External libraries

 

C++ language

General topics
Preprocessor Comments	Keywords Escape sequences
Flow control
Conditional execution statements
if	switch
Iteration statements (loops)
for range-for (C++11)	while do-while
Jump statements
continue - break	goto - return
Functions
Function declaration
Lambda function expression
inline specifier
Dynamic exception specifications (until C++17*)
noexcept specifier (C++11)
Exceptions
throw-expression try block	catch handler
Namespaces
Namespace declaration	Namespace aliases
Types
Fundamental types Enumeration types Function types	Class/struct types Union types
Specifiers
const/volatile decltype (C++11) auto (C++11)	constexpr (C++11) consteval (C++20) constinit (C++20)
Storage duration specifiers
Initialization
Default-initialization Value-initialization Zero-initialization Copy-initialization Direct-initialization	Aggregate initialization List-initialization (C++11)   Constant initialization Reference initialization

Expressions
Value categories Order of evaluation	Operators Operator precedence
Alternative representations
Literals
Boolean - Integer - Floating-point
Character - String - nullptr (C++11)
User-defined (C++11)
Utilities
Attributes (C++11)
Types
typedef declaration
Type alias declaration (C++11)
Casts
Implicit conversions static_cast const_cast	Explicit conversions dynamic_cast reinterpret_cast
Memory allocation
new expression	delete expression
Classes
Class declaration Constructors this pointer	Access specifiers friend specifier
Class-specific function properties
Virtual function override specifier (C++11)   final specifier (C++11)	explicit (C++11) static
Special member functions
Default constructor Copy constructor Move constructor (C++11)	Copy assignment Move assignment (C++11) Destructor
Templates
Class template Function template	Template specialization Parameter packs (C++11)
Miscellaneous
Inline assembly	History of C++

 

Declarations

Overview Declaration syntax decl-specifier-seq Declarator Conflicting declarations Specifiers typedef inline virtual function specifier explicit function specifier friend constexpr (C++11) consteval (C++20) constinit (C++20) Storage class specifiers Translation-unit-local (C++20) class/struct union enum decltype (C++11) auto (C++11) alignas (C++11) constvolatile Pack indexing specifier (C++26)     Elaborated type specifier Attributes (C++11)

Declarators Reference Pointer Array Block declarations Simple-declaration   →Structured binding declaration (C++17) Alias declaration (C++11) Namespace alias definition using declaration using directive static_assert declaration (C++11) asm declaration Opaque enum declaration (C++11) Other declarations Namespace definition Function declaration Class template declaration Function template declaration Explicit template instantiation (C++11) Explicit template specialization Linkage specification Attribute declaration (C++11) Empty declaration

 

Attributes

assume (C++23)

carries_dependency (C++11)(until C++26)

deprecated (C++14)

fallthrough (C++17)

indeterminate (C++26)

likely (C++20)

maybe_unused (C++17)

nodiscard (C++17)

noreturn (C++11)

no_unique_address (C++20)

optimize_for_synchronized (TM TS)

unlikely (C++20)

 

Indicates that the fall through from the previous case label is intentional and should not be diagnosed by a compiler that warns on fallthrough.

Syntax

[[fallthrough]]

Explanation

May only be applied to a null statement to create a fallthrough statement ([[fallthrough]];).

A fallthrough statement may only be used in a switch statement, where the next statement to be executed is a statement with a case or default label for that switch statement. If the fallthrough statement is inside a loop, the next (labeled) statement must be part of the same iteration of that loop.

Example

Run this code

void f(int n)
{
    void g(), h(), i();
 
    switch (n)
    {
        case 1:
        case 2:
            g();
            [[fallthrough]];
        case 3: / no warning on fallthrough
            h();
        case 4: / compiler may warn on fallthrough
            if (n < 3)
            {
                i();
                [[fallthrough]]; / OK
            }
            else
            {
                return;
            }
        case 5:
            while (false)
            {
                [[fallthrough]]; / ill-formed: next statement is not
                                 /             part of the same iteration
            }
        case 6:
            [[fallthrough]]; / ill-formed, no subsequent case or default label
    }
}

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR	Applied to	Behavior as published	Correct behavior
CWG 2406	C++17	[[fallthrough]] could appear in a loop nested inside the target switch statement	prohibited

References

• C++23 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2024):

• 9.12.6 Fallthrough attribute [dcl.attr.fallthrough]

• C++20 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2020):

• 9.12.5 Fallthrough attribute [dcl.attr.fallthrough]

• C++17 standard (ISO/IEC 14882:2017):

• 10.6.5 Fallthrough attribute [dcl.attr.fallthrough]

See also

C documentation for fallthrough

Follow Lee on X/Twitter - Father, Husband, Serial builder creating AI, crypto, games & web tools. We are friends :) AI Will Come To Life!

Check out: eBank.nz (Art Generator) | Netwrck.com (AI Tools) | Text-Generator.io (AI API) | BitBank.nz (Crypto AI) | ReadingTime (Kids Reading) | RewordGame | BigMultiplayerChess | WebFiddle | How.nz | Helix AI Assistant