1 files changed, 12 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_span.hh b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_span.hh
index fe511793c46..c3876d4eaf8 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_span.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenlib/BLI_span.hh
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ template<typename T> class Span {
   using iterator = const T *;
   using size_type = int64_t;
 
- private:
+ protected:
   const T *data_ = nullptr;
   int64_t size_ = 0;
 
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ template<typename T> class MutableSpan {
   using iterator = T *;
   using size_type = int64_t;
 
- private:
+ protected:
   T *data_;
   int64_t size_;
 
@@ -662,6 +662,16 @@ template<typename T> class MutableSpan {
   }
 
   /**
+   * Return a reference to the first element in the array. This invokes undefined behavior when the
+   * array is empty.
+   */
+  constexpr T &first() const
+  {
+    BLI_assert(size_ > 0);
+    return data_[0];
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Returns a reference to the last element. This invokes undefined behavior when the array is
    * empty.
    */