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### 1250. `<bitset>` still overspecified

Section: 20.9.2 [template.bitset] Status: C++11 Submitter: Martin Sebor Opened: 2009-10-29 Last modified: 2016-01-28

Priority: Not Prioritized

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Discussion:

Issue 1227 — `<bitset>` synopsis overspecified makes the observation that `std::bitset`, and in fact the whole library, may be implemented without needing to `#include <stdexcept>` in any library header. The proposed resolution removes the `#include <stdexcept>` directive from the header.

I'd like to add that the `<bitset>` header (as well as the rest of the library) has also been implemented without #including the `<cstddef>` header in any library header. In the case of `std::bitset`, the template is fully usable (i.e., it may be instantiated and all its member functions may be used) without ever mentioning `size_t`. In addition, just like no library header except for `<bitset>` `#includes <stdexcept>` in its synopsis, no header but `<bitset>` `#includes <cstddef>` either.

Thus I suggest that the `#include <cstddef>` directive be similarly removed from the synopsis of `<bitset>`.

[ 2010-02-08 Moved to Tentatively Ready after 6 positive votes on c++std-lib. ]

Proposed resolution:

Change 20.9.2 [template.bitset]:

>     #include <cstddef>        // for size_t
>     #include <string>
>     #include <iosfwd>         // for istream, ostream
>     namespace std {
>     ...