Function Templates

A function template is a powerful feature that allows you to define a generic function that can work with different data types without rewriting the entire function for each type. You define a function template by preceding the function definition with the `template <typename T>` or `template <class T>` keyword (both are equivalent in this context). Here, `T` is a placeholder for a data type, which is determined by the compiler at compile time based on the arguments passed to the function. For example, you can write a generic `swap` function that can swap the values of two variables of any type. When you call `swap(a, b)` where `a` and `b` are integers, the compiler instantiates a version of the swap function specifically for `int`. If you call it with two `double` variables, it generates a version for `double`. This process is called template instantiation. Function templates reduce code duplication significantly. Instead of writing multiple overloaded functions that do the exact same thing but with different types, you write a single, generic template. This makes your code cleaner, easier to maintain, and less error-prone. The logic is defined in one place, and the compiler handles the type-specific implementations for you.