c++ - Is returning a string literal address from a function safe and portable?

Question

I need a function to return a string that will only be accessed read-only. The string contents is known at compile time so that I will use a string literal anyway.

I can return something like std::string:

std::string myFunction()
{
   return "string";
}

or return const char*:

const char* myFunction()
{
   return "string";
}

Is the second alternative safe and portable in this scenario?

Answer 1

Is the second alternative safe and portable in this scenario?

Yes! The storage allocation of string literals is static and they persist for the lifetime of the application.