Book Image

Mastering the C++17 STL

By : Arthur O'Dwyer
Book Image

Mastering the C++17 STL

By: Arthur O'Dwyer

Overview of this book

Modern C++ has come a long way since 2011. The latest update, C++17, has just been ratified and several implementations are on the way. This book is your guide to the C++ standard library, including the very latest C++17 features. The book starts by exploring the C++ Standard Template Library in depth. You will learn the key differences between classical polymorphism and generic programming, the foundation of the STL. You will also learn how to use the various algorithms and containers in the STL to suit your programming needs. The next module delves into the tools of modern C++. Here you will learn about algebraic types such as std::optional, vocabulary types such as std::function, smart pointers, and synchronization primitives such as std::atomic and std::mutex. In the final module, you will learn about C++'s support for regular expressions and file I/O. By the end of the book you will be proficient in using the C++17 standard library to implement real programs, and you'll have gained a solid understanding of the library's own internals.
Table of Contents (13 chapters)

Algorithms that affect object lifetime

The <memory> header provides an obscure family of algorithms with names such as std::uninitialized_copy, std::uninitialized_default_construct, and std::destroy (for the full list, consult an online reference such as cppreference.com). Consider the following algorithm that uses explicit destructor calls to destroy the elements of a range:

    template<class T>
void destroy_at(T *p)
{
p->~T();
}

template<class FwdIt>
void destroy(FwdIt first, FwdIt last)
{
for ( ; first != last; ++first) {
std::destroy_at(std::addressof(*first));
}
}

Notice that std::addressof(x) is a convenient little helper function that returns the address of its parameter; it's exactly the same thing as &x except in the rare case that x is of some class type that sadistically overloads its own operator...