C++ By Example: UnderC Learning Edition

Class Templates

Function templates allow very general code to be written that will work for different kinds of types. Class templates do the same for classes; all the class data and member functions become parameterized by type parameters. Class templates are machines for generating families of related classes.

A Parameterized Class

When you are designing classes, you need to make choices. In some cases, such as when either choice seems perfectly valid, it is irritating to have to choose. For example, consider a Point class that represents a two-dimensional coordinate. Should it contain integers, floats, or doubles? There are good arguments for all three choices. Using typedefs is helpful, as in the following example:

 typedef double coord_t; ...