Assume that get_a() and get_b() are functions that return an int: int a = get_a() Return lhs is an instantiation of the template minimum.Įlsewhere, a user can declare an instance of the template that is specialized for int. For example, you can define a function template like this: template Defining and using templatesĪ template is a construct that generates an ordinary type or function at compile time based on arguments the user supplies for the template parameters. Templates enable you to define the operations of a class or function, and let the user specify what concrete types those operations should work on. However, many data structures and algorithms look the same no matter what type they are operating on. As a strongly-typed language, C++ requires all variables to have a specific type, either explicitly declared by the programmer or deduced by the compiler.
Templates are the basis for generic programming in C++.
