How to Efficiently Choose C 11 Standard Library Containers?

Efficiently Selecting Standard Library Containers in C 11

While the renowned "C Container Choice" flowchart remains widely referenced for container selection in pre-C 11 versions, an updated version tailored to C 11 is yet to emerge.

General Guidelines:

To create a C 11 equivalent of the classic flowchart, adhere to two key principles:

1. Prioritize semantics: Choose a container based on the desired operation.
2. Embrace simplicity: Among feasible options, opt for the most straightforward implementation.

Choosing an Associative Container:

• Question 1: Does the data require easy search functionality?

  • Yes: Choose an associative container.

• Question 1.1: Is sorted order necessary?

  • Yes: Use an ordered associative container (e.g., map, set).
  • No: Opt for an unordered associative container (e.g., unordered_map, unordered_set).

• Question 1.2: Are keys distinct from values?

  • Yes: Use a map (for key-value pairs) or a set (for unique values).
  • No: Use a map or a set with duplicate functionality (e.g., multimap, multiset).

Choosing a Simple Sequence Container:

• Question 2: Are elements required to remain in memory-stable positions?

  • Yes: Use a list or forward_list.

• Question 3: Is the container size dynamically adjustable?

  • No: Consider using an array if the size is known at compile time.

• Question 4: Is access from both front and back crucial?

  • Yes: Use a deque.
  • No: Opt for a vector.

Conclusion:

By following these guidelines, developers can effectively select the appropriate container in C 11 for their specific data structures and operations. However, it's important to note that performance optimization should be a secondary consideration, unless handling large amounts of data (thousands or more items) is necessary.

The above is the detailed content of How to Efficiently Choose C 11 Standard Library Containers?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!