Lists

In C++, a list is a container that stores elements in a linked list. Unlike arrays or vectors, which store elements in contiguous memory, lists store elements in nodes that are linked to each other by pointers.

Here is an example of how to create a list of integers and add elements to it:

#include <iostream>
#include <list>

using namespace std;

int main() {
  list<int> my_list;
  my_list.push_back(1);
  my_list.push_back(2);
  my_list.push_front(3);
  
  for (int element : my_list) {
    cout << element << " ";
  }
  
  return 0;
}

In this example, we create a list<int> object called my_list and add three elements to it using the push_back and push_front methods. We then use a range-based for loop to iterate over the elements of the list and print them to the console.

Lists provide several benefits over other container types. For example, lists are efficient at inserting or removing elements at any position, whereas inserting or removing elements in an array or vector requires shifting all the subsequent elements. Lists also allow for constant-time insertions or removals of elements at the beginning or end of the list, which can be useful in certain situations.

Some common operations on lists include adding elements to the front or back of the list using the push_front and push_back methods, removing elements from the front or back of the list using the pop_front and pop_back methods, and inserting or erasing elements at any position using the insert and erase methods.

Lists can be used for a wide range of applications, from implementing basic data structures like stacks and queues to more complex algorithms like sorting and searching.