# Function read

1.6.0 (const: 1.71.0) · Source

    pub const unsafe fn read<T>(src: *const T) -> T

Expand description

Reads the value from `src` without moving it. This leaves the memory in `src` unchanged.

## §Safety

Behavior is undefined if any of the following conditions are violated:

- `src` must be valid for reads.

- `src` must be properly aligned. Use `read_unaligned` if this is not the case.

- `src` must point to a properly initialized value of type `T`.

Note that even if `T` has size `0`, the pointer must be properly aligned.

## §Examples

Basic usage:

    let x = 12;
    let y = &x as *const i32;

    unsafe {
        assert_eq!(std::ptr::read(y), 12);
    }

Manually implement `mem::swap`:

    use std::ptr;

    fn swap<T>(a: &mut T, b: &mut T) {
        unsafe {
            // Create a bitwise copy of the value at `a` in `tmp`.
            let tmp = ptr::read(a);

            // Exiting at this point (either by explicitly returning or by
            // calling a function which panics) would cause the value in `tmp` to
            // be dropped while the same value is still referenced by `a`. This
            // could trigger undefined behavior if `T` is not `Copy`.

            // Create a bitwise copy of the value at `b` in `a`.
            // This is safe because mutable references cannot alias.
            ptr::copy_nonoverlapping(b, a, 1);

            // As above, exiting here could trigger undefined behavior because
            // the same value is referenced by `a` and `b`.

            // Move `tmp` into `b`.
            ptr::write(b, tmp);

            // `tmp` has been moved (`write` takes ownership of its second argument),
            // so nothing is dropped implicitly here.
        }
    }

    let mut foo = "foo".to_owned();
    let mut bar = "bar".to_owned();

    swap(&mut foo, &mut bar);

    assert_eq!(foo, "bar");
    assert_eq!(bar, "foo");

### §Ownership of the Returned Value

`read` creates a bitwise copy of `T`, regardless of whether `T` is `Copy`. If `T` is not `Copy`, using both the returned value and the value at `*src` can violate memory safety. Note that assigning to `*src` counts as a use because it will attempt to drop the value at `*src`.

`write()` can be used to overwrite data without causing it to be dropped.

    use std::ptr;

    let mut s = String::from("foo");
    unsafe {
        // `s2` now points to the same underlying memory as `s`.
        let mut s2: String = ptr::read(&s);

        assert_eq!(s2, "foo");

        // Assigning to `s2` causes its original value to be dropped. Beyond
        // this point, `s` must no longer be used, as the underlying memory has
        // been freed.
        s2 = String::default();
        assert_eq!(s2, "");

        // Assigning to `s` would cause the old value to be dropped again,
        // resulting in undefined behavior.
        // s = String::from("bar"); // ERROR

        // `ptr::write` can be used to overwrite a value without dropping it.
        ptr::write(&mut s, String::from("bar"));
    }

    assert_eq!(s, "bar");