C++ Templates

Templates in C++ allow you to write generic and reusable code for functions and classes. With templates, you can create a single function or class to work with different data types without rewriting code for each type. Templates are a key feature of generic programming in C++.

Types of Templates

Templates allow code reuse and type safety without duplicating code for each data type.
Function templates are useful for generic functions like sorting, swapping, or finding max/min values.
Class templates are commonly used in the Standard Template Library (STL) containers like vector, list, and map.

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Next, learn about Exception Handling in C++.

Function Templates: Allow a single function to operate with different data types.
Class Templates: Allow a single class to work with different data types.

Example: Function Template

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Function template to find the maximum of two values
template <typename T>
T getMax(T a, T b) {
    return (a > b) ? a : b;
}

int main() {
    cout << "Max of 5 and 10: " << getMax(5, 10) << endl;
    cout << "Max of 3.5 and 2.8: " << getMax(3.5, 2.8) << endl;
    cout << "Max of 'A' and 'Z': " << getMax('A', 'Z') << endl;

    return 0;
}

Output

Max of 5 and 10: 10
Max of 3.5 and 2.8: 3.5
Max of 'A' and 'Z': Z

Example: Class Template

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Class template
template <typename T>
class Box {
private:
    T content;

public:
    void setContent(T c) {
        content = c;
    }
    T getContent() {
        return content;
    }
};

int main() {

    Box<int> intBox;
    intBox.setContent(123);
    cout << "Integer Box: " << intBox.getContent() << endl;

    Box<string> strBox;
    strBox.setContent("Hello");
    cout << "String Box: " << strBox.getContent() << endl;

    return 0;
}

Output

Integer Box: 123
String Box: Hello

Important Notes

Templates allow code reuse and type safety without duplicating code for each data type.
Function templates are useful for generic functions like sorting, swapping, or finding max/min values.
Class templates are commonly used in the Standard Template Library (STL) containers like vector, list, and map.

Next Topic

Next, learn about Exception Handling in C++.