Templates in C++
From the C++ cheat sheet · Templates & Concepts · verified Jul 2026
Templates
Function and class templates.
cpp
// Quick Reference
template <typename T>
T max(T a, T b) { return a > b ? a : b; }
template <typename T>
class Box { T value; };💡 Templates are instantiated per type at compile time - zero runtime overhead.
⚡ Template code usually lives entirely in headers (the definition must be visible to callers).
📌 Non-type parameters (int N) let you parameterize on compile-time values like sizes.
🟢 The compiler deduces T from the arguments - you rarely write maxOf<int>(...) explicitly.
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