Generics in C++

In C++, "generics" typically refer to the use of templates to create code that works with various data types in a type-safe manner. Templates allow you to write generic functions or classes with placeholders for data types.

Generic Functions

You can create functions that work with different data types using function templates. Use the template keyword and a placeholder type (e.g., <typename T> ) within the function definition.

template <typename T> T add(T a, T b) { return a + b; }

You can then use this function with various data types:

int result1 = add(5, 3); // Result is 8 (int) double result2 = add(2.5, 3.7); // Result is 6.2 (double)

Generic Classes

You can create generic classes with placeholders for data types using class templates. Define the class with template parameters.

template <typename T> class MyVector { private: std::vector<T> data; public: void push(T value) { data.push_back(value); } };

Then, you can instantiate the class with various data types:

MyVector<int> intVector; intVector.push(1); MyVector<double> doubleVector; doubleVector.push(3.14);

Conclusion

Generics in C++ enable you to write versatile, type-agnostic code that can be applied to different data types, providing code reusability and maintaining type safety. Templates allow you to create functions and classes that adapt to the specific data types you need, offering flexibility and efficiency in your code.






Related Topics
  1. C++ Operator Overloading
  2. C++ Pointers
  3. File Handling in C++ | How to Open, Read and Close files
  4. C++ Templates
  1. C++ Vector
  2. C++ Map
  3. C++ Multithreading
  4. C++ Memory Management - Explained