Understanding STL Basics

This chapter will continue our pursuit of increasing your C++ programming repertoire beyond OOP concepts by delving into a core C++ library that has become thoroughly integrated into the common usage of the language. We will explore the Standard Template Library (STL) in C++ by examining a subset of this library, representing common utilities that can both simplify our programming and make our code more easily understood by others who are undoubtedly familiar with the STL.

In this chapter, we will cover the following main topics:

• Surveying the contents and purpose of the STL in C++
• Understanding how to use essential STL containers – list, iterator, vector, deque, stack, queue, priority_queue, map, and map using a functor
• Customizing STL containers

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to utilize core STL classes to enhance your programming skills. Because you already understand the essential C++ language and OOP features...