How does the C++ function library use templates and generic programming?

Templates and generic programming in C allow the creation of reusable function libraries. Features include: Templates: Parameterized types, types are created at compile time. Generic programming: Use templates and type inference to write code that works with multiple data types. Practical example: Reusable sort functions can be used with any comparable type, such as int and string.

Template and generic programming in C function library

In C, template and generic programming are a powerful technology for creating reusable, flexible and efficient function libraries.

Template

A template is a parameterized type that allows you to create types at compile time instead of run time. They are defined by specifying type parameters within angle brackets, for example:

template<typename T>
class Vector {
  ...
};

In this example, T is a type parameter that will be replaced by the actual type when using the template, For example int or std::string.

Generic programming

Generic programming is a technique that uses templates and type inference to write code that can be used for various types of data. It enables you to create functions and data structures that are independent of specific data types. For example, we can use std::vector instead of explicitly specifying the type:

std::vector<int> intVec;
std::vector<std::string> stringVec;

Practical case

Reusable sorting Function

With templates and generic programming, we can create reusable sorting functions that can be used with any comparable type. Using the std::sort function, we can sort the elements in an array or container:

template<typename T>
void sort(T* array, size_t size) {
  std::sort(array, array + size);
}

int main() {
  int arr[] = {3, 1, 2};
  sort(arr, 3); // 排序 int 数组

  std::string strArr[] = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"};
  sort(strArr, 3); // 排序字符串数组
}

By using generic programming, this function can be used with various types, including built-in types and automatic Define types without changing code.

Other examples

• Create common data structures such as linked lists, stacks, and queues.
• Write search algorithms suitable for different data types.
• Define type-safe functions and operators.

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