Efficient Algorithm for Bit Reversal (from MSB->LSB to LSB->MSB) in C

Question

What is the most efficient algorithm to achieve the following:

0010 0000 => 0000 0100

The conversion is from MSB->LSB to LSB->MSB. All bits

Answer 1

Another loop-based solution that exits quickly when the number is low (in C++ for multiple types)

template
T reverse_bits(T in) {
    T bit = static_cast(1) << (sizeof(T) * 8 - 1);
    T out;

    for (out = 0; bit && in; bit >>= 1, in >>= 1) {
        if (in & 1) {
            out |= bit;
        }
    }
    return out;
}

or in C for an unsigned int

unsigned int reverse_bits(unsigned int in) {
    unsigned int bit = 1u << (sizeof(T) * 8 - 1);
    unsigned int out;

    for (out = 0; bit && in; bit >>= 1, in >>= 1) {
        if (in & 1)
            out |= bit;
    }
    return out;
}