C++ Standard Template Library

Dr. Mark J. Sebern

Revised 12/14/1999

What is the Standard Template Library?

The Standard Template Library (STL) is a general-purpose C++ library of algorithms and data structures, originated by Alexander Stepanov and Meng Lee. The STL, based on a concept known as generic programming, is part of the standard ANSI/ISO C++ library. The STL is implemented by means of the C++ template mechanism, hence its name. While some aspects of the library are very complex, it can often be applied in a very straightforward way, facilitating reuse of the sophisticated data structures and algorithms it contains.

What about the string class?

Although not part of the STL, the string class is also part of the ANSI/ISO C++ standard library. Like the STL, it provides a commonly needed facility (character string handling).

A basic introduction to the STL and the string class

A complete introduction to the STL can be found by consulting the references below. For starters, though, a small number of classes and algorithms can be very useful:

• The string class
• The vector container template
• The sort algorithm
• The list container template
• The iterator classes
• The find algorithm

If you wish to use STL containers to hold objects of user-defined (class) types, as opposed to built-in types (e.g., int), please refer to the requirements for these objects.

Links to other resources

For more information on the STL, try the following links:

• Reference and tutorial information
  • Book: David R. Musser and Atul Saini, STL Tutorial and Reference Guide: C++ Programming with the Standard Template Library, Addison-Wesley, 1996, ISBN 0-201-63398-1. More information is available by searching for one of the authors' names at Addison-Wesley's web site.
  • STL Programmer's Guide by Silicon Graphics Computer Systems, Inc.
• Newsgroups
  • comp.lang.c++
  • comp.std.c++

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This page was last updated on November 10, 2002; send comments to Mark Sebern.