C++ <algorithm> - max() Function

The C++ algorithm::max function returns the largest of a and b. The initializer list version of function returns the largest element present in the list.

Syntax

//default version
template <class T> const T& max (const T& a, const T& b);

//custom version
template <class T, class Compare>
  const T& max (const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp);

//default version
template <class T> const T& max (const T& a, const T& b);

//custom version 
template <class T, class Compare>
  const T& max (const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp);

//initializer list version
template <class T> T max (initializer_list<T> il);
template <class T, class Compare>
  T max (initializer_list<T> il, Compare comp);

//default version 
template <class T> constexpr const T& max (const T& a, const T& b);

//custom version 
template <class T, class Compare>
  constexpr const T& max (const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp);

//initializer list version 
template <class T> constexpr T max (initializer_list<T> il);
template <class T, class Compare>
  constexpr T max (initializer_list<T> il, Compare comp);

Parameters

`a`	Specify the first value to compare.
`b`	Specify the second value to compare.
`comp`	A binary predicate that takes two elements in the range as arguments and returns a bool. It follows the strict weak ordering to order the elements.
`il`	Specify the initializer list with the values to compare.

Return Value

Returns the largest of a and b or in initializer list version it returns the largest element present in the list.

Time Complexity

Linear i.e, Θ(n).

Example:

In the example below, the algorithm::max function is used to find out the largest of the values passed as arguments.

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
using namespace std;
 
int main (){
  cout<<"max(100, 250): "<<max(100, 250)<<endl;
  cout<<"max(1.5, 1.9): "<<max(1.5, 1.9)<<endl;
  cout<<"max({1, 2, -5}): "<<max({1, 2, -5})<<endl;
  return 0;
}

The output of the above code will be:

max(100, 250): 250
max(1.5, 1.9): 1.9
max({1, 2, -5}): 2

❮ C++ <algorithm> Library