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# std::random_device::entropy

From cppreference.com
< cpp‎ | numeric‎ | random‎ | random device

double entropy() const; |  | (since C++11)

Obtains an estimate of the random number device entropy, which is a floating-point value between min() and log
2(max()+1). If the device has n states whose individual probabilities are P
0,...,P
n-1, the device probability S is defined as

S = -Σn-1
i=0P
ilog(P
i)

A deterministic random number generator (e.g. a pseudo-random engine) has entropy zero.

### [edit] Exceptions

`noexcept` specification:
noexcept

### [edit] Return value

The value of the device entropy, or zero if not applicable.

### [edit] Notes

This function is not fully implemented in some standard libraries. For example, gcc and clang always return zero even though the device is non-deterministic. In comparison, Visual Studio always returns 32, and boost.random returns 10.

### [edit] Example

Example output on one of the implementations

Run this code

    #include <iostream>
    #include <random>

    int main()
    {
        std::random_device rd;
        std::cout << rd.entropy() << '\n';
    }

Possible output:

    32

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