C++.notes

/// Various C++ concepts

const usage:
	void something() const	// Means the function will not modify member variables or call any non-const member functions
	const int * ptrToConst;	// pointer to const value. Cannot modify the value, but the pointer can be made to point to something else.
	int * const constPtr;	// const pointer. Can modify the value pointed to, but can't make it point to something else
	const int * const constPtrToConst;	// const pointer to const value. Cannot modify the value, cannot make it point to anything else.

virtual:
	Allows a pointer to a base class to call the version of the function contained in the derived class.
	Non-virtual functions can also be redefined, but a pointer to the base class will call its own version instead.

Pointers/references:
	&	reference operator. "address of"
	*	dereference operator. "value pointed to by"
	int *a;		// a pointer
	int &a;		// a reference
	References:
		http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_%28C++%29	// For reference. Pun intended
		Cannot refer directly to a reference object after it's defined; any occurance of its name refers directly to the object it references.
		Cannot be made to reference another object.
		Cannot be null. Can't have a container of references.
		Cannot be uninitialized.
		address-of operator applied to a reference yields a pointer to the same object.
		A reference initialized from the dereference of a pointer value will refer to the same object as that pointer.
		Uses:
			safer than pointers.
			for functions, if the parameter is made "const type& var", it gives direct read-only access to whatever's passed in, whereas "type var" requires creating a copy of the parameter. Can be called in the same manner.


STL containers:
	list	// doubly-linked list
	deque
	vector	// basically an ArrayList
	map	// uses a tree
		unordered_map	// uses hash table. Faster, but uses more memory
	set:	store unique elements following a specific order.