Creating custom hash functions
As we have seen, the STL offers a vast array of container classes such as std::unordered_map
, std::unordered_set
, and std::unordered_multiset
, which rely heavily on hash functions for their efficient operation. When working with custom types, creating custom hash functions tailored to your data structures is imperative. In this section, we will learn about the significance of implementing custom hash functions, explore the characteristics of a good hash function, and provide an illustrative example of how to integrate a custom type with an STL container, using a custom hash function.
Interoperability with STL containers
STL containers such as std::unordered_map
or std::unordered_set
use hash tables to store and retrieve elements efficiently. To make your custom types compatible with these containers, you need to provide a way for them to compute a hash value, which is used to determine the storage location of an element within the container. Without...