What are some practical use cases for templates and generics in programming?

What are some practical use cases for templates and generics in programming?

Templates and generics allow for code reusability and type safety. For example, in C++, templates can be used to create functions that work with any data type.

Can you give me an example of a template in C++?

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;
}

What about generics in Java?

In Java, generics allow you to define classes, interfaces, and methods with a placeholder for types. For example:

public class Box<T> {
    private T item;
    public void setItem(T item) { this.item = item; }
    public T getItem() { return item; }
}

How do templates and generics improve code maintainability?

They improve maintainability by reducing code duplication and allowing for type-safe operations, making the code easier to read and less prone to errors.