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Templates: The Basics

Write a function or class once and have the compiler stamp out a type-specific version for each use: generic code with zero runtime cost, plus the code-bloat tradeoff to watch.

25 min read

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5 interview questions on this topic

Each one opens a full worked answer.

What is template instantiation and when does it happen?Why are templates considered zero-overhead, and what's the catch?Why must template definitions go in header files?How do templates compare to C's approaches for generic code?Can a template take something other than a type as a parameter?

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Templates: The Basics | EmbeddedPrep.io