C++11 Variadic Templates vs Function Overloading

What are the main differences between variadic templates and function overloading in C++11?

Variadic templates allow functions to accept an arbitrary number of arguments, while function overloading lets you define multiple functions with the same name but different parameter types or counts.

Can you give me an example of how variadic templates work?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

template<typename... Args>
void print(Args... args) {
    (std::cout << ... << args) << '\n';
}

This function can take any number of arguments and print them.

How does this compare to function overloading?

With function overloading, you would define multiple print functions, each with a different signature. For example:

void print(int i);
void print(double d);
void print(const std::string& s);

Each function would handle a specific type.

Which approach is generally preferred in modern C++?

Variadic templates are often preferred for their flexibility and ability to handle multiple types and counts of arguments more elegantly.