AngelikaLanger.com - Introduction to STL (Standard Template Library)

ABSTRACT

Integral part of ANSI C++ is the standard library with a rich set of prefabricated abstractions. Using the library a programmer can solve problems easily with a few C++ statements that in pre-standard C++ required deep thought and significantly more lines of code. The result is a visible reduction of complexity of ANSI C++ programs, which in turn makes programmers more productive and effective.

The STL (Standard Template Library) is a part of the ANSI C++ library and provides a comprehensive set of collections and algorithms. It has an unusual and elegant architecture in that it separates data structures from algorithms - a programming paradigm known as generic programming. This tutorial aims to give an overview of the STL with focus on understanding and using its elements. We will address questions like: What types of collections are there? How do they differ? Which one should I chose for which task? What is generic programming? What are iterators? Why do I need them? Why do they fall into various categories and why would I want to know about these categories? Which algorithms are available? How can I determine which algorithm can be applied to which collection? What are function objects and why are they important?

*Level:*	intermediate
*Duration:*	3 hours
*Prerequisites:*	This is an introductory seminar. Practical experience with the STL is not required. Familiarity with templates is helpful.
*Presented at:*	TOOLS Pacific , Melbourne Australia, November 1998