C++ Standard Template Library

The C++ STL (Standard Template Library) is a generic collection of class templates and algorithms that allow programmers to easily implement standard data structures like queues, lists, and stacks.

The C++ STL provides programmers with the following constructs, grouped into three categories:

• Sequences
  • C++ Vectors
  • C++ Lists
  • C++ Double-Ended Queues
• Container Adapters
  • C++ Stacks
  • C++ Queues
  • C++ Priority Queues
• Associative Containers
  • C++ Bitsets
  • C++ Maps
  • C++ Multimaps
  • C++ Sets
  • C++ Multisets

The idea behind the C++ STL is that the hard part of using complex data structures has already been completed. If a programmer would like to use a stack of integers, all that she has to do is use this code:

stack<int> myStack;

With minimal effort, she can now push() and pop() integers onto this stack. Through the magic of C++ Templates, she could specify any data type, not just integers. The STL Stack class will provide generic functionality of a stack, regardless of the data in the stack.

In addition, the STL also provides a bunch of useful algorithms -- like searching, sorting, and general-purpose iterating algorithms -- that can be used on a variety of data structures.