diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 06e562f3e89..0ee3124d32b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ If possible, provide tooling that performs the changes, e.g. a shell-script.
   * Added `seqan3::views::char_strictly_to`. Behaves like `seqan3::views::char_to`, but throws on invalid
     input ([\#2898](https://github.com/seqan/seqan3/pull/2898)).
   * Improved performance of vector assignment for alphabets ([\#3038](https://github.com/seqan/seqan3/pull/3038)).
+  * Char literals returning std::vector are now constexpr if supported by the compiler
+    ([\#3073](https://github.com/seqan/seqan3/pull/3073)).
 
 #### I/O
  * Added `seqan3::sequence_file_option::fasta_ignore_blanks_before_id` to ignore blanks before IDs when reading FASTA
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10li.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10li.hpp
index e0be386b82c..26cf447ca07 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10li.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10li.hpp
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ constexpr aa10li operator""_aa10li(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline aa10li_vector operator""_aa10li(char const * const s, size_t const n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL aa10li_vector operator""_aa10li(char const * const s, size_t const n)
 {
     aa10li_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10murphy.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10murphy.hpp
index 7f95fb972cc..7ff97abe495 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10murphy.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa10murphy.hpp
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ constexpr aa10murphy operator""_aa10murphy(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline aa10murphy_vector operator""_aa10murphy(char const * const s, size_t const n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL aa10murphy_vector operator""_aa10murphy(char const * const s, size_t const n)
 {
     aa10murphy_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa20.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa20.hpp
index dd92b7814f1..93c92b88815 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa20.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa20.hpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ constexpr aa20 operator""_aa20(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline aa20_vector operator""_aa20(char const * const s, size_t const n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL aa20_vector operator""_aa20(char const * const s, size_t const n)
 {
     aa20_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa27.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa27.hpp
index 372aac2d4de..f0d7cd34f9c 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa27.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/aminoacid/aa27.hpp
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ constexpr aa27 operator""_aa27(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline aa27_vector operator""_aa27(char const * const s, size_t const n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL aa27_vector operator""_aa27(char const * const s, size_t const n)
 {
     aa27_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna15.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna15.hpp
index e8e09ba097f..aa4c785d7d6 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna15.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna15.hpp
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ constexpr dna15 operator""_dna15(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline dna15_vector operator""_dna15(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL dna15_vector operator""_dna15(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     dna15_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna16sam.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna16sam.hpp
index 5012241b4bf..dbd5ab6eb47 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna16sam.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna16sam.hpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ constexpr dna16sam operator""_dna16sam(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline dna16sam_vector operator""_dna16sam(char const * s, size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL dna16sam_vector operator""_dna16sam(char const * s, size_t n)
 {
     dna16sam_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna3bs.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna3bs.hpp
index 08604a55515..ada5ff99745 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna3bs.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna3bs.hpp
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ constexpr dna3bs operator""_dna3bs(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline dna3bs_vector operator""_dna3bs(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL dna3bs_vector operator""_dna3bs(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     dna3bs_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna4.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna4.hpp
index e7695a0d413..faafd90a528 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna4.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna4.hpp
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ constexpr dna4 operator""_dna4(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline dna4_vector operator""_dna4(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL dna4_vector operator""_dna4(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     dna4_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna5.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna5.hpp
index 6005286ddfe..52b85df0ff3 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna5.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/dna5.hpp
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ constexpr dna5 operator""_dna5(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline dna5_vector operator""_dna5(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL dna5_vector operator""_dna5(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     dna5_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna15.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna15.hpp
index 83a73d811d6..3848da3a150 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna15.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna15.hpp
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ constexpr rna15 operator""_rna15(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline rna15_vector operator""_rna15(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL rna15_vector operator""_rna15(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     rna15_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna4.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna4.hpp
index 26e9360267f..1472cfb2e93 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna4.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna4.hpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ constexpr rna4 operator""_rna4(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline rna4_vector operator""_rna4(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL rna4_vector operator""_rna4(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     rna4_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna5.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna5.hpp
index 86fec2e9dd0..2e7e7202598 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna5.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/nucleotide/rna5.hpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ constexpr rna5 operator""_rna5(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline rna5_vector operator""_rna5(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL rna5_vector operator""_rna5(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     rna5_vector r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred42.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred42.hpp
index 4b569d5a6b8..76abc4189d5 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred42.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred42.hpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ constexpr phred42 operator""_phred42(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<phred42> operator""_phred42(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<phred42> operator""_phred42(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     std::vector<phred42> r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred63.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred63.hpp
index 5201715f1e5..c94ae18b204 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred63.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred63.hpp
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ constexpr phred63 operator""_phred63(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<phred63> operator""_phred63(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<phred63> operator""_phred63(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     std::vector<phred63> r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred68solexa.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred68solexa.hpp
index f02faae0e9a..d6d3182b7e0 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred68solexa.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred68solexa.hpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ constexpr phred68solexa operator""_phred68solexa(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<phred68solexa> operator""_phred68solexa(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<phred68solexa> operator""_phred68solexa(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     std::vector<phred68solexa> r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred94.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred94.hpp
index ea5b6b61442..c96f4169fe7 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred94.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/quality/phred94.hpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ constexpr phred94 operator""_phred94(char const c) noexcept
  *
  * \stableapi{Since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<phred94> operator""_phred94(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<phred94> operator""_phred94(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     std::vector<phred94> r;
     r.resize(n);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dot_bracket3.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dot_bracket3.hpp
index b969e8174e5..8328883db9c 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dot_bracket3.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dot_bracket3.hpp
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ constexpr dot_bracket3 operator""_db3(char const ch) noexcept
  *
  * \experimentalapi{Experimental since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<dot_bracket3> operator""_db3(char const * str, std::size_t len)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<dot_bracket3> operator""_db3(char const * str, std::size_t len)
 {
     std::vector<dot_bracket3> vec;
     vec.resize(len);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dssp9.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dssp9.hpp
index 7e7ac1bf497..ccb54db08cb 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dssp9.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/dssp9.hpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ constexpr dssp9 operator""_dssp9(char const ch) noexcept
  *
  * \experimentalapi{Experimental since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<dssp9> operator""_dssp9(char const * str, std::size_t len)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<dssp9> operator""_dssp9(char const * str, std::size_t len)
 {
     std::vector<dssp9> vec;
     vec.resize(len);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/wuss.hpp b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/wuss.hpp
index 43c0628b1eb..7aff8ad75a4 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/wuss.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/alphabet/structure/wuss.hpp
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ constexpr wuss51 operator""_wuss51(char const ch) noexcept
  *
  * \experimentalapi{Experimental since version 3.1.}
  */
-inline std::vector<wuss51> operator""_wuss51(char const * str, std::size_t len)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<wuss51> operator""_wuss51(char const * str, std::size_t len)
 {
     std::vector<wuss51> vec;
     vec.resize(len);
diff --git a/include/seqan3/core/platform.hpp b/include/seqan3/core/platform.hpp
index 39daf009e2f..903dbafff1a 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/core/platform.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/core/platform.hpp
@@ -273,6 +273,13 @@ static_assert(sdsl::sdsl_version_major == 3, "Only version 3 of the SDSL is supp
 #    endif
 #endif
 
+//!\brief Our char literals returning std::vector should be constexpr if constexpr std::vector is supported.
+#if defined(__cpp_lib_constexpr_vector) && __cpp_lib_constexpr_vector >= 201907L
+#    define SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL constexpr
+#else
+#    define SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL inline
+#endif
+
 #if SEQAN3_DOXYGEN_ONLY(1) 0
 //!\brief This disables the warning you would get if -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 is set.
 #    define SEQAN3_DISABLE_LEGACY_STD_DIAGNOSTIC
diff --git a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/detail/cigar.hpp b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/detail/cigar.hpp
index 6eb231a49b3..ce75ffa6bc5 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/detail/cigar.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/detail/cigar.hpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ inline void update_alignment_lengths(int32_t & ref_length,
  * `{[(H,1), (M,4), (D,1), (M,2), (S,2)], 7, 6}`.
  */
 template <typename cigar_input_type>
-inline std::tuple<std::vector<cigar>, int32_t, int32_t> parse_cigar(cigar_input_type && cigar_input)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::tuple<std::vector<cigar>, int32_t, int32_t> parse_cigar(cigar_input_type && cigar_input)
 {
     std::vector<cigar> operations{};
     std::array<char, 20> buffer{}; // buffer to parse numbers with from_chars. Biggest number should fit in uint64_t
diff --git a/test/documentation/seqan3_doxygen_cfg.in b/test/documentation/seqan3_doxygen_cfg.in
index 41a49c58cb6..2a3ea9f9b09 100644
--- a/test/documentation/seqan3_doxygen_cfg.in
+++ b/test/documentation/seqan3_doxygen_cfg.in
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ PREDEFINED             = "CEREAL_SERIALIZE_FUNCTION_NAME=serialize" \
                          "CEREAL_SAVE_MINIMAL_FUNCTION_NAME=save_minimal" \
                          "SEQAN3_DOXYGEN_ONLY(x)= x" \
                          "${SEQAN3_DOXYGEN_PREDEFINED_NDEBUG}" \
-                         "__cpp_lib_three_way_comparison=1"
+                         "__cpp_lib_three_way_comparison=1" \
+                         "SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL=constexpr"
 
 EXPAND_AS_DEFINED      = SEQAN3_CPO_OVERLOAD_BODY SEQAN3_CPO_OVERLOAD
 
diff --git a/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/cigar_literal.hpp b/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/cigar_literal.hpp
index 0a2c50aa32f..274950dae55 100644
--- a/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/cigar_literal.hpp
+++ b/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/cigar_literal.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 namespace seqan3::test
 {
 
-inline std::vector<cigar> operator""_cigar(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<cigar> operator""_cigar(char const * s, std::size_t n)
 {
     return std::get<0>(seqan3::detail::parse_cigar(std::string_view{s, n}));
 }
diff --git a/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/gapped_dna5_literal.hpp b/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/gapped_dna5_literal.hpp
index 13da30ec0bb..0459c97541d 100644
--- a/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/gapped_dna5_literal.hpp
+++ b/test/include/seqan3/test/literal/gapped_dna5_literal.hpp
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 namespace seqan3::test
 {
 
-inline std::vector<seqan3::gapped<seqan3::dna5>> operator""_gapped_dna5(char const * s, std::size_t n)
+SEQAN3_WORKAROUND_LITERAL std::vector<seqan3::gapped<seqan3::dna5>> operator""_gapped_dna5(char const * s,
+                                                                                           std::size_t n)
 {
     std::vector<seqan3::gapped<seqan3::dna5>> r;
     r.resize(n);