Why are In-Class Initializers in C 11 Restricted to `=` and `{}`?

Syntax Restriction for In-Class Initializers

In C 11, in-class initializers can only use the equal sign (=) or curly braces {} to assign values to members. Why is this the case?

Ambiguity Mitigation

The curly brace syntax enforces an unambiguous interpretation of code. Consider this example:

class Example {
    struct Inner;
    int member;

    int conflicting(Inner); // Function declaration or member initialization?
};

Without the curly brace restriction, the code snippet could be ambiguous. The first line could be interpreted as either a function declaration or a member initialization using parentheses.

class Example {
    struct Inner;
    int member;

    int conflicting{Inner}; // Clearly a member initialization
};

The curly braces clarify that conflicting is a member initialized to the value of Inner.

Additional Clarity

Using curly braces also provides additional clarity by separating member declarations and initializations. This can enhance readability and reduce the potential for misunderstandings.

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