[ fromfile: templates.xml id: templates ]

C++ supports four distinct categories of types:

Because there is no common base type for these four distinct type categories, writing generic functions and classes that can operate on multiple type-categories would be very difficult without the use of templates. Templates provide a means for C++ to generate different versions of classes and functions with parameterized types and common behavior. They are distinguished by the use of the keyword template, and a template parameter enclosed in angle brackets <>.

A template parameter differs from a function parameter in that it can be used to pass not only variables and values, but also type expressions.

template <class T > class String { ... }; 
template <class T, int max > Buffer { ...
    T v[max]; 
};
String <char> s1;
Buffer <int, 10> intBuf10;