C++11: std::map vs std::set

What are the main differences between std::map and std::set in C++11?

std::map is a key-value pair container, while std::set is a collection of unique keys. Maps allow access to values via keys.

Can you explain how they store their elements?

Both std::map and std::set are typically implemented as balanced binary trees, which keep elements sorted.

What about their performance in terms of insertion and lookup?

Insertion and lookup in both std::map and std::set have an average time complexity of O(log n), due to their tree structure.

Are there any scenarios where I should prefer one over the other?

If you need to associate values with keys, use std::map. If you only need to store unique keys, std::set is the better choice.