# magic_enum — Static Reflection for C++ Enums

> magic_enum is a header-only C++17 library that provides static reflection for enums: converting enums to strings, strings to enums, and iterating over enum values without macros or boilerplate.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# magic_enum — Static Reflection for C++ Enums

## Quick Use
```bash
# Header-only: just include it
# Option 1: vcpkg install magic-enum
# Option 2: single header download
# In your code:
# #include <magic_enum.hpp>
# auto name = magic_enum::enum_name(Color::Red); // "Red"
# auto val = magic_enum::enum_cast<Color>("Green"); // Color::Green
```

## Introduction
magic_enum provides static reflection capabilities for C++ enumerations using compiler intrinsics. Without macros or code generation, it turns any enum into something you can convert to/from strings, iterate over, and inspect at compile time.

## What magic_enum Does
- Converts enum values to their string names and vice versa at compile time
- Iterates over all values of an enum without maintaining a separate list
- Provides compile-time enum count, min, max, and contains checks
- Supports scoped enums, unscoped enums, and flag/bitmask enums
- Works with enum values in custom ranges via template specialization

## Architecture Overview
magic_enum leverages compiler-specific intrinsics (__PRETTY_FUNCTION__ on GCC/Clang, __FUNCSIG__ on MSVC) to extract enum value names at compile time. It generates a lookup table of valid enum values and their string representations during compilation, incurring zero runtime overhead for name lookups.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Single header file: download magic_enum.hpp or install via vcpkg/Conan
- Include the header and use directly; no linking or build configuration needed
- Customize the default enum range with MAGIC_ENUM_RANGE_MIN and MAGIC_ENUM_RANGE_MAX
- For flag enums, use magic_enum::flags functions instead of the default enum functions
- Requires C++17; works with GCC 9+, Clang 5+, and MSVC 2019+

## Key Features
- Zero runtime overhead: all reflection data is computed at compile time
- No macros required; works with existing enum definitions unmodified
- Supports bidirectional enum-string conversion with optional case-insensitive matching
- Flag enum support for bitmask types with automatic combination name generation
- Compile-time enum validation and static_assert integration

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Manual switch/case** — Hand-written mappings are error-prone and must be updated with every enum change; magic_enum stays in sync automatically
- **X-macro pattern** — X-macros work but require defining enums in a non-standard way; magic_enum works with standard enum declarations
- **Boost.Describe** — Boost.Describe requires annotating types; magic_enum needs no annotations
- **nameof** — nameof provides general name reflection; magic_enum is specialized for enums with richer features like iteration and casting

## FAQ
**Q: Does magic_enum work with all enum values?**
A: By default it covers enum values in the range [-128, 127]. Customize with MAGIC_ENUM_RANGE_MIN/MAX for larger ranges.

**Q: Is there a runtime cost?**
A: No. String tables are built at compile time. Lookups are simple array accesses.

**Q: Does it work with enum classes (scoped enums)?**
A: Yes. Both scoped (enum class) and unscoped (enum) types are fully supported.

**Q: Can I use magic_enum with flags/bitmask enums?**
A: Yes. Use magic_enum::flags_name and related functions for bitmask enums that combine multiple values.

## Sources
- https://github.com/Neargye/magic_enum
- https://github.com/Neargye/magic_enum/blob/master/doc/reference.md

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Author: Script Depot