Book Image

Data Structures and Algorithms with the C++ STL

By : John Farrier
5 (2)
Book Image

Data Structures and Algorithms with the C++ STL

5 (2)
By: John Farrier

Overview of this book

While the Standard Template Library (STL) offers a rich set of tools for data structures and algorithms, navigating its intricacies can be daunting for intermediate C++ developers without expert guidance. This book offers a thorough exploration of the STL’s components, covering fundamental data structures, advanced algorithms, and concurrency features. Starting with an in-depth analysis of the std::vector, this book highlights its pivotal role in the STL, progressing toward building your proficiency in utilizing vectors, managing memory, and leveraging iterators. The book then advances to STL’s data structures, including sequence containers, associative containers, and unordered containers, simplifying the concepts of container adaptors and views to enhance your knowledge of modern STL programming. Shifting the focus to STL algorithms, you’ll get to grips with sorting, searching, and transformations and develop the skills to implement and modify algorithms with best practices. Advanced sections cover extending the STL with custom types and algorithms, as well as concurrency features, exception safety, and parallel algorithms. By the end of this book, you’ll have transformed into a proficient STL practitioner ready to tackle real-world challenges and build efficient and scalable C++ applications.
Table of Contents (30 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Part 1: Mastering std::vector
7
Part 2: Understanding STL Data Structures
13
Part 3: Mastering STL Algorithms
19
Part 4: Creating STL-Compatible Types and Algorithms
23
Part 5: STL Data Structures and Algorithms: Under the Hood

Using policies with the STL

In exploring policy-based design, we’ve established how this design paradigm fosters modularity and flexibility in C++ software components. Now, let’s get into the specifics of how policies can be effectively employed to enhance the functionality and adaptability of STL data types, contributing to more efficient and customized solutions.

Memory allocation policies

One of the most pertinent applications of policies in the context of STL data types is the management of memory allocation. Consider a scenario where you must optimize memory allocation for a specific container, such as a std::vector instance. By introducing memory allocation policies, you can tailor the container’s memory management strategy to your requirements.

For instance, you may have a specialized memory allocator optimized for your application’s specific use case. Instead of modifying the container’s internal logic, you can seamlessly integrate...