Welcome to the Introduction to STL!

The STL (Standard Template Library) is a powerful library in C++ that provides a collection of container classes, algorithms, and iterators. It is a part of the C++ Standard Library and is widely used in C++ programming.

If you are a senior engineer interested in networking and engineering in C++ as it pertains to finance, the STL Library is a great tool to enhance your skills and productivity.

In the STL, containers are used to store and manipulate data. Examples of STL containers include vectors, lists, and sets. Algorithms are used to perform operations on the data stored in these containers, such as sorting, searching, and modifying. Iterators are used to traverse and access the elements of the containers.

Let's start by exploring one of the most commonly used containers in the STL: vectors.

In C++, a vector is a dynamic array that can grow or shrink in size. It provides random access to its elements and allows efficient insertion and deletion at the end.

Here is an example of how to create and use a vector:

1#include <iostream>
2#include <vector>
3
4int main() {
5  std::vector<int> nums = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
6
7  std::cout << "Numbers: ";
8  for (int num : nums) {
9    std::cout << num << " ";
10  }
11
12  std::cout << std::endl;
13
14  return 0;
15}

In the above code, we create a vector nums and initialize it with some numbers. We then use a range-based for loop to iterate over the elements of the vector and print them.

Try running this code and observe the output.

By understanding the different containers, algorithms, and iterators provided by the STL Library, you will be able to write more efficient and maintainable code in C++.

Next, we will dive deeper into the different container classes provided by the STL Library.

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#include <iostream>

#include <vector>

​

int main() {

  std::vector<int> nums = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};

​

  std::cout << "Numbers: ";

  for (int num : nums) {

    std::cout << num << " ";

  }

​

  std::cout << std::endl;

​

  return 0;

}