Implementing a generic algorithm allows programmers to easily implement their own algorithms, compatible with any container. In the following example, the contains() function can be used with any container:
template <typename Iterator, typename T>auto contains(Iterator begin, Iterator end, const T& v) { for (auto it = begin; it != end; ++it) { if (*it == v) { return true; } } return false;}
Vice versa, a new container can also use all the algorithms if it exposes the iterators. As a simple example, if we implement a two-dimensional Grid structure as shown below, where rows are exposed as pair of iterators:
| Implementation of Grid structure: | Illustration of corresponding ... |
