C++ std::string

The `std::string` class, part of the C++ Standard Library, is the modern, recommended way to handle strings. It's a vast improvement over traditional C-style character arrays because it manages its own memory, eliminating many common errors like buffer overflows and memory leaks. To use it, you must include the `<string>` header. Creating a string is simple: `std::string greeting = "Hello, World!";`. The `std::string` class provides a wealth of useful member functions. You can get the length of a string using the `.length()` or `.size()` method. You can concatenate strings easily using the `+` or `+=` operators. For example, `std::string name = "John"; std::string message = "Hello, " + name;`. You can access individual characters using the same array-like square bracket notation (`greeting[0]`) or the `.at()` method, which provides bounds checking and throws an exception if the index is invalid. Other powerful features include methods for finding substrings (`.find()`), extracting substrings (`.substr()`), and comparing strings using standard relational operators (`==`, `!=`, `<`, `>`). Because `std::string` handles memory allocation dynamically, it can grow or shrink as needed. This flexibility, combined with its robust interface and safety features, makes `std::string` an essential tool for any C++ programmer.