Into to the Standard Library

• This is a condensed version of chapters 16, 17 and 18
• I am covering this for multiple reasons.
  • Objective 1, OODesing.
  • Objective IIF2 - Standard template librariesy.
  • A great set of examples of most of what we will talk about.
  • A great set of tools.
  • Every C++ programmer should spend time studying this.
• The standard library in C++ is tightly controlled.
  • As the name implies, it is required for standard compilers.
  • It is officially set by the c++ standard committee.
• The Boost libraries
  • Are not part of the official libraries
  • But are a proving ground for potential library performance testing/proving/development.
• The library is all in namespace std.
• The library is roughly divided into two parts
  • The container library
  • The algorithm library.
• Both of these are huge
• You already know several features
  • C++ strings.
  • Streams.
• The library aims for consistency
  • Similar things are done the same way.
  • This means some additional learning, ie iterators.
• We will definitely pick up smart pointers later.
• Some things we will only cover if we need (random numbers).
• Some in passing (pair, tuple, ...)
• Some in more detail (vector, map, smart pointers, sort, find)
• I have found that if I am solving a problem and need a data structure/common algorithm it is most likely in the standard library.
  • When I am not crushed, I do my best to learn a new standard library feature with every problem I solve.
• The library is constantly expanding
  • It looks like the flat_map type will be added in 23.
• Containers:
  • Classic data structures.
  • But of a homogeneous type.
  • But there is an any type, I don't know about it.
  • The one we want: vector a dynamic array.
  • list - a doubly linked list, never debug pointers again.
  • array - standard array++
  • queue/dequeue queue, double ended queue
  • sets
  • maps - we might look at this one, it would solve bug problems.
• Algorithms
  • These are built to work with the containers.
  • Most require a knowledge of iterators.
  • Way too many to mention
  • find, and several variations.
  • shuffle - mix ump the items in a container if possible.
  • is_sorted, sort, stable_sort - cool
  • clamp, max, min, ...
  • and MANY others.