Ranges for searching algorithms
When delving into the domain of algorithmic searching within the STL, it’s evident that the advent of ranges heralds an era of simplified and expressive code. To appreciate this evolution, looking back at the traditional search methods in the STL is essential.
The classic way of searching within a container involved using functions such as std::find
or std::find_if
, wherein you’d provide iterators marking the search range:
std::vector<int> nums = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; auto it = std::find(nums.begin(), nums.end(), 3);
Effective? Yes. Optimal in terms of expressiveness and adaptability? Perhaps not.
Finding elegance – range-based searching
The transition to more readable and concise code is evident using the range-based approach. With ranges, searching operations become inherently more declarative, as shown in the following code:
std::vector<int> nums = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; auto it = std::ranges::find(nums, 3);...