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

Types of iterators in the STL

In the Standard Template Library (STL), iterators play a pivotal role by connecting algorithms to containers. They provide a means for developers to traverse, access, and potentially modify the elements of a container. Iterators are essential tools for efficient data manipulation in the STL. However, they aren’t uniform in their functionalities. The STL delineates iterators into five primary types, each offering varying access and control over the elements. This section will get into these iterator types, elaborating on their distinct capabilities and uses.

Input iterators

Input iterators (LegacyInputIterator) are the starting point in exploring iterator types. They represent the foundational category of iterators. As their name implies, input iterators focus on reading and progressing through elements. They enable developers to advance to the subsequent element in the container and retrieve its value. It’s crucial to note that revisiting...