LibC-STL: A C Implementation of Standard Template Library (STL)

Overview

C-STL is a project aimed at implementing a subset of the functionality provided by the C++ Standard Template Library (STL) in pure C. The motivation behind this project stems from the efficiency and versatility of the C++ STL, which has been widely acclaimed as one of the most efficient code libraries in C++. This projects aims at implementing C++ STL in C as efficient and as easy to use as possible.

Motivation

The C++ STL is renowned for its rich collection of data structures, algorithms, and utilities, which simplify and streamline the process of software development in C++. Recognizing the value and efficiency of the STL, this project seeks to bridge this gap by bringing some of the essential features of the STL to the C programming language.

Project Goals

• Implement core data structures such as vectors, linked lists, stacks, queues, maps, and sets in C.
• Develop efficient algorithms for common operations like sorting, searching, and manipulation of data structures.
• Provide a user-friendly interface and intuitive API for easy integration into C projects.
• Ensure compatibility and portability across different platforms and compilers.
• Foster a community of contributors and users to collaborate on further enhancements and improvements.

Key Features

• Vector: Resizable arrays similar to vectors in C++. Example
• Iterators: C++ style iterators to iterate containers efficiently.
• Linked List: Singly linked lists, doubly linked lists, and circular linked lists. [to be implemened]
• Stacks and Queues: Implementations using arrays or linked lists. [to be implemened]
• Maps and Sets: Hash maps or binary search trees for key-value pairs and unique elements. [to be implemened]
• String Manipulation: Functions for manipulating strings, including concatenation, substring extraction, and searching. [to be implemened]
• Algorithms: Common algorithms for sorting, searching, and manipulation of sequences. [to be implemened]
• Error Handling: Mechanisms for error handling and exception management. [to be implemened]

Contributing

Contributors are welcomed add more functionalities or fixes..

• Raise an issue about the about feature you want to add and wait for it to assigned to you.
• Or check any existing issue if you want to work on them Issues
• Edit your code and open the PR, documentation will be taken care of. Feel free to share if you have anything extra to add in docs.
• Make sure to add block comments above your added feature.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. Feel free to use, modify, and distribute the code according to the terms of the license.

Note from maintainer

This project serves as a learning endeavor for me to explore dynamic memory management in C, gaining insights into the STL in C++, and honing skills in library design and DSA. I'm eager to see this project flourish and evolve further.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include "./include/Vector.h"

typedef struct mystruct
{
    int data;
    char *name;
} MyStruct;

int main()
{
    Vector *int_vec = vector_create(sizeof(int));

    int values[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
    {
        vector_push_back(int_vec, &values[i]);
    }

    printf("Integer Vector:\n");
    for (size_t i = 0; i < vector_size(int_vec); i++)
    {
        printf("%d ", *(int *)vector_at(int_vec, i));
    }
    printf("\n");

    vector_destroy(int_vec);

    Vector *double_vec = vector_create(sizeof(double));

    double dvalues[] = {1.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.4};
    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
    {
        vector_push_back(double_vec, &dvalues[i]);
    }

    printf("Double Vector:\n");
    for (size_t i = 0; i < vector_size(double_vec); i++)
    {
        printf("%.1f ", *(double *)vector_at(double_vec, i));
    }
    printf("\n");

    vector_destroy(double_vec);
    MyStruct v1 = {10, "Jasper"};
    MyStruct v2 = {20, "Kasper"};
    MyStruct v3 = {30, "Hasper"};
    MyStruct v4 = {40, "Gasper"};

    Vector *custom_vec = vector_create(sizeof(MyStruct));
    vector_push_back(custom_vec, &v1);
    vector_push_back(custom_vec, &v2);
    vector_push_back(custom_vec, &v3);
    vector_push_back(custom_vec, &v4);
     
    for(size_t i = 0; i < vector_size(custom_vec); i++){
        MyStruct *item = (MyStruct*)vector_at(custom_vec, i);
        printf("%d %s\n", item->data, item->name);
    }

    return 0;
}

Error Handling

All functions that modify vectors return predefined error codes.

Error Code	Description
SUCCESS (1)	Operation successful
FAILURE (0)	Generic failure
ERR_INVALID_TYPE (-1)	Invalid data type for vector
ERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY (-2)	Memory allocation failed
ERR_INDEX_OUT_OF_BOUNDS (-3)	Index out of range
ERR_NULL_POINTER (-4)	Null pointer detected

Example Usage:

Vector *vec = create_vector(5, INT);
if (!vec) {
    printf("Error: Vector creation failed\n");
}

int status = push_back_int(vec, 10);
if (status != SUCCESS) {
    printf("Error: push_back_int failed with error code %d\n", status);
}
yaml
Copy
Edit

## Feedback and Support
If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions regarding the project, please feel free to open an issue.

## Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the creators and maintainers of the C++ STL, whose work has inspired this project. Additionally, we thank all contributors and users for their valuable feedback and contributions.