Editing Template (C++) (section)

{{Short description|Feature in the C++ programming language}}
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'''Templates''' are a feature of the [[C++]] programming language that allows [[Function (computer programming)|functions]] and [[Class (computer programming)|classes]] to operate with [[Generic programming|generic types]]. This allows a function or class [[Declaration (computer programming)|declaration]] to reference via a generic [[Variable (computer science)|variable]] another different class (built-in or newly declared [[data type]]) without creating full declaration for each of these different classes.

In plain terms, a templated class or function would be the equivalent of (before "compiling") copying and pasting the templated block of code where it is used, and then replacing the template parameter with the actual one. For this reason, classes employing templated methods place the implementation in the headers (*.h files) as no symbol could be compiled without knowing the type beforehand.

The [[C++ Standard Library]] provides many useful functions within a framework of connected templates.

Major inspirations for C++ templates were the parameterized modules provided by the language [[CLU (programming language)|CLU]] and the generics provided by [[Ada (programming language)|Ada]].<ref name="Stroustrup">{{cite web |last=Stroustrup |first=Bjarne |author-link=Bjarne Stroustrup |date=8 September 2004 |title=The C++ Programming Language |edition=3rd, Special |url=http://www.stroustrup.com/ |work=Stroustrup.com (personal homepage)}}</ref>