C++ Enums

C++ Enums

An enum (short for enumeration) is a special type that represents a group of constants (unchangeable values).

Creating an Enum

To create an enum, use the enum keyword, followed by the name of the enum, and separate the enum items with a comma:

enum Level {
  LOW,
  MEDIUM,
  HIGH
};

Using an Enum

You can access enum items by creating a variable of the enum type:

int main() {
  // Create an enum variable and assign a value to it
  Level myVar = MEDIUM;
  
  // You can use enums in switch statements
  switch (myVar) {
    case LOW:
      cout << "Low Level";
      break;
    case MEDIUM:
      cout << "Medium Level";
      break;
    case HIGH:
      cout << "High Level";
      break;
  }
  return 0;
}

Enums are great for readability, especially when variables can only have a specific set of distinct values (like days of the week, states in a game, etc.).