The following code compiles successfully with g++ 4.8.1:

int main() { int(*)(); }

It looks like a simple declaration of a pointer to function:

int(*f)();

It doesn't compile with clang 3.4 and vc++ 2013.

Is it a compiler bug or one of dark places of the standard?

List of similar strange code pieces which compile fine with g++ 4.8.1 (updated):

int(*)(); int(*); int(*){}; int(*());

Live example with these strange code pieces.

Update 1: @Ali added some interesting information in the comments:

All 4 cases give a compile error with clang 3.5 trunk (202594) and compile fine with gcc 4.9 trunk (20140302). The behavior is the same with -std=c++98 -pedantic , except for int(*){}; which is understandable; extended initializer lists only available with -std=c++11 .

Update 2: As @CantChooseUsernames noted in his answer they still compile fine even with initialization and no assembly is generated for them by g++ (neither with nor without initialization) even without any enabled optimization:

int(*)() = 0; int(*) = 0; int(*){} = 0; int(*()) = 0;

Live example with initializations.

Update 3: I was really surprised to find that int(*)() = "Hello, world!"; compiles fine, too (while int(*p)() = "Hello, world!"; doesn't compile, of course).

Update 4: It is fantastic but int(*){} = Hello, world!; compiles fine. And the following extremely strange piece of code, too: int(*){}() = -+*/%&|^~.,:!?$()[]{}; (live example).

Update 5: As @zwol noted in his comment