What are the differences between C++ templates and macros?

What are the differences between C++ templates and macros?

C++ templates are a feature that allows functions and classes to operate with generic types, while macros are preprocessor directives that perform text substitution before compilation. Templates are type-safe and checked at compile time, whereas macros are not type-checked and can lead to errors that are harder to debug.

Can you give me an example of a template?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a template function that swaps two values:

template <typename T>
void swap(T &a, T &b) {
    T temp = a;
    a = b;
    b = temp;
}

This function can swap values of any type.

And what about a macro example?

Here's an example of a macro that swaps two values:

#define SWAP(a, b) { int temp = a; a = b; b = temp; }

This macro will perform a swap, but it lacks type safety and can lead to unexpected behavior if not used carefully.

Which one should I use in my code?

It's generally recommended to use templates over macros for type safety and better debugging. Macros can be useful for simple text substitutions, but they can introduce complexity and errors.