Generics in C++

Generics is the idea to allow type (Integer, String, … etc and user-defined types) to be a parameter to methods, classes and interfaces. For example, classes like an array, map, etc, which can be used using generics very efficiently. We can use them for any type. The method of Generic Programming is implemented to increase the efficiency of the code. Generic Programming enables the programmer to write a general algorithm which will work with all data types. It eliminates the need to create different algorithms if the data type is an integer, string or a character. The advantages of Generic Programming are

1. Code Reusability
2. Avoid Function Overloading
3. Once written it can be used for multiple times and cases.

Generics can be implemented in C++ using Templates. Template is a simple and yet very powerful tool in C++. The simple idea is to pass data type as a parameter so that we don't need to write the same code for different data types. For example, a software company may need sort() for different data types. Rather than writing and maintaining the multiple codes, we can write one sort() and pass data type as a parameter.

Generic Functions using Template:

We write a generic function that can be used for different data types. Examples of function templates are sort(), max(), min(), printArray() CPP

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// One function works for all data types.
// This would work even for user defined types
// if operator '>' is overloaded
template <typename T>

T myMax(T x, T y)
{
    return (x > y) ? x : y;
}

int main()
{

    // Call myMax for int
    cout << myMax<int>(3, 7) << endl;

    // call myMax for double
    cout << myMax<double>(3.0, 7.0) << endl;

    // call myMax for char
    cout << myMax<char>('g', 'e') << endl;

    return 0;
}

Generic Class using Template:

Like function templates, class templates are useful when a class defines something that is independent of data type. Can be useful for classes like LinkedList, binary tree, Stack, Queue, Array, etc. Following is a simple example of template Array class. CPP

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

template <typename T>
class Array {
private:
    T* ptr;
    int size;

public:
    Array(T arr[], int s);
    void print();
};

template <typename T>
Array<T>::Array(T arr[], int s)
{
    ptr = new T[s];
    size = s;
    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        ptr[i] = arr[i];
}

template <typename T>
void Array<T>::print()
{
    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
        cout << " " << *(ptr + i);
    cout << endl;
}

int main()
{
    int arr[5] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
    Array<int> a(arr, 5);
    a.print();
    return 0;
}

Working with multi-type Generics:

We can pass more than one data types as arguments to templates. The following example demonstrates the same. CPP

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

template <class T, class U>
class A {
    T x;
    U y;

public:
    A()
    {
        cout << "Constructor Called" << endl;
    }
};

int main()
{
    A<char, char> a;
    A<int, double> b;
    return 0;
}

Constructor Called
Constructor Called