[kazinator]

> Otherwise, zero-initialize and then default-initialize.

That can't be right ... is it? Things cannot be initialized twice. Isn't it more like "Otherwise, recurse the value-initialization over the bases and members". Then, those that are not classes or arrays get zero-initialized.

[leni536]

Both "zero-initialize" and "default-initialize" are terms that have precise definitions. In this context if you substitute the definitions it just means first zero-initializing the non-static data members (and zeroing the padding), then calling the default constructor.

It doesn't mean that the lifetime of the object starts twice, or anything weird like that.

[SpaghettiCthulu]

I think it would be perfectly legal to zero-initialize the entire thing and then default-initialize, because initialization assumes the value is undefined.

[bregma]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    You can only initialize once. After it's been initialized you're just assigning values, and that's not what happens during initialization. It's either a misunderstanding on behalf of the author or the words as written are not conveying the correct idea.