Builtin functions of GCC compiler
Last Updated :
03 Oct, 2025
These are four important built-in functions in GCC compiler:
1. __builtin_popcount(x)
This function is used to count the number of one's(set bits) in an integer.
Example:
if x = 4
binary value of 4 is 100
Output: No of ones is 1.
C++
// C++ program to illustrate _builtin_popcount(x)
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int n = 5;
cout << "Count of 1s in binary of " << n << " is " << __builtin_popcount(n);
return 0;
}
C
// C program to illustrate _builtin_popcount(x)
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int n = 5;
printf("Count of 1s in binary of %d is %d ", n,
__builtin_popcount(n));
return 0;
}
OutputCount of 1s in binary of 5 is 2
Note: Similarly you can use __builtin_popcountl(x) & __builtin_popcountll(x) for long and long long data types.
2 . __builtin_parity(x)
This function is used to check the parity of a number. This function returns true(1) if the number has odd parity else it returns false(0) for even parity.
Example:
if x = 7
7 has odd no. of 1's in its binary(111).
Output: Parity of 7 is 1
C++
// C++ program to illustrate _builtin_parity(x)
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int n = 7;
cout << "Parity of " << n << " is " << __builtin_parity(n);
return 0;
}
C
// C program to illustrate _builtin_parity(x)
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int n = 7;
printf("Parity of %d is %d ",
n, __builtin_parity(n));
return 0;
}
Note: Similarly you can use __builtin_parityl(x) & __builtin_parityll(x) for long and long long data types.
3.__builtin_clz(x)
This function is used to count the leading zeros of the integer. Note : clz = count leading zero's.
Example: It counts number of zeros before the first occurrence of one(set bit).
a = 16
Binary form of 16 is 00000000 00000000 00000000 00010000
Output: 27
C++
// C++ program to illustrate __builtin_clz(x)
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int n = 16;
cout<<"Count of leading zeros before 1 in "<< n <<" is "<<__builtin_clz(n);
return 0;
}
C
// C program to illustrate __builtin_clz(x)
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int n = 16;
printf("Count of leading zeros before 1 in %d is %d",
n, __builtin_clz(n));
return 0;
}
OutputCount of leading zeros before 1 in 16 is 27
Note: __builtin_clz(x) This function only accept unsigned values
Note: Similarly you can use __builtin_clzl(x) & __builtin_clzll(x) for long and long long data types.
4.__builtin_ctz(x)
This function is used to count the trailing zeros of the given integer. Note : ctz = count trailing zeros.
Example: Count no of zeros from last to first occurrence of one(set bit).
a = 16
Binary form of 16 is 00000000 00000000 00000000 00010000
Output: ctz = 4
C++
// C++ program to illustrate __builtin_ctz(x)
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int n = 16;
cout<<"Count of zeros from last to first occurrence of one is "<< __builtin_ctz(n);
return 0;
}
C
// C program to illustrate __builtin_ctz(x)
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int n = 16;
printf("Count of zeros from last to first "
"occurrence of one is %d",
__builtin_ctz(n));
return 0;
}
OutputCount of zeros from last to first occurrence of one is 4
Note: Similarly you can use __builtin_ctzl(x) & __builtin_ctzll(x) for long and long long data types.
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