C++ Standard Library

Scope note

The C++ standard library is too large to present every overload, member function, customization point, and trait specialization on one page without turning the page into noise. This page is now a hub that points to the main library families and the dedicated header index.

Start here

• C++ standard headers index
• C++ containers and views
• C++ algorithms and ranges
• C++ concurrency library
• C++ numerics and time
• Standard exceptions and errors

Core language support and utilities

<utility>, <type_traits>, <typeinfo>, <compare>, <concepts>

• std::move, std::forward, std::swap, std::pair
• type traits such as std::is_same_v, std::remove_cvref_t, std::is_invocable_v
• std::type_info
• ordering types such as std::strong_ordering
• standard concepts such as std::integral, std::regular, std::predicate

<tuple>, <optional>, <variant>, <any>, <expected>

• std::tuple, std::tie, std::get, std::apply
• std::optional
• std::variant, std::visit
• std::any
• std::expected, std::unexpected

<functional>

• std::function, std::invoke, std::reference_wrapper, binders, arithmetic/comparison functors

Strings, text, and formatting

<string>, <string_view>, <charconv>, <format>, <print>

• std::basic_string, std::string, std::wstring
• std::basic_string_view, std::string_view
• std::from_chars, std::to_chars
• std::format, std::vformat, formatters
• std::print, std::println

<regex> and <locale>

• std::regex, std::smatch, regex algorithms
• locale facets and locale-sensitive formatting/parsing

Iterators, ranges, and algorithms

For a more focused algorithms and lazy-pipeline reference, see C++ algorithms and ranges.

<iterator> and <ranges>

• iterator tags, iterator traits, adaptors
• std::ranges algorithms
• views such as filter, transform, take, drop, split, keys, values

<algorithm> and <numeric>

• searching, sorting, partitioning, set operations, heap operations
• std::accumulate, std::reduce, std::transform_reduce, scans, gcd/lcm

Containers and views

For a denser container-by-container summary, see C++ containers and views.

Sequence containers

• <array>: std::array
• <vector>: std::vector
• <deque>: std::deque
• <list>: std::list
• <forward_list>: std::forward_list

Associative and unordered containers

• <map>: std::map, std::multimap
• <set>: std::set, std::multiset
• <unordered_map>: std::unordered_map, std::unordered_multimap
• <unordered_set>: std::unordered_set, std::unordered_multiset

Adapters and views

• <stack>: std::stack
• <queue>: std::queue, std::priority_queue
• <span>: std::span
• <mdspan>: std::mdspan

Memory and resource management

<memory> and friends

• std::unique_ptr, std::shared_ptr, std::weak_ptr
• allocators and allocator traits
• uninitialized memory algorithms
• std::addressof, std::to_address

<new>

• placement new
• std::bad_alloc
• alignment-aware allocation support

I/O and filesystems

<iostream>, <istream>, <ostream>, <fstream>, <sstream>

• stream objects such as std::cin, std::cout, std::cerr
• file streams and string streams
• formatted and unformatted I/O facilities

<filesystem>

• std::filesystem::path
• directory iteration, status queries, path operations, copy/remove helpers

Time, random, math, and numerics

For time, random, and math facilities grouped together, see C++ numerics and time.

<chrono>

• durations, clocks, time_point, calendars, time zones

<random>

• engines such as std::mt19937
• distributions such as std::uniform_int_distribution, std::normal_distribution

<numbers>, <ratio>, <complex>, <valarray>, <cmath>

• mathematical constants, compile-time rational types, complex arithmetic, vectorized numeric containers, math functions

Concurrency and atomics

For threads, atomics, futures, semaphores, latches, and barriers on one page, see C++ concurrency library.

<thread>, <mutex>, <shared_mutex>, <condition_variable>

• std::thread, std::jthread, std::stop_token
• std::mutex, std::recursive_mutex, std::timed_mutex
• std::shared_mutex, std::shared_lock
• std::condition_variable, std::condition_variable_any

<future>, <atomic>, <semaphore>, <barrier>, <latch>

• std::future, std::promise, std::async, std::packaged_task
• atomics and memory-order operations
• semaphores for bounded access
• barriers and latches for phase coordination

Errors, diagnostics, and source information

<exception>, <stdexcept>, <system_error>, <source_location>

• exception base types and standard exception hierarchy
• runtime errors such as std::runtime_error, std::invalid_argument, std::out_of_range
• std::error_code, std::error_category, std::system_error
• std::source_location

C compatibility headers in C++

Many C headers are available in c-prefixed form with names in namespace std, including:

• <cassert>, <cctype>, <cerrno>, <cfenv>, <cfloat>, <cinttypes>, <climits>
• <cmath>, <csetjmp>, <csignal>, <cstdarg>, <cstddef>, <cstdint>, <cstdio>, <cstdlib>
• <cstring>, <ctime>, <cuchar>, <cwchar>, <cwctype>

Practical lookup strategy

1. Start by identifying the right header family.
2. Narrow from a facility family to the specific type or algorithm.
3. Confirm iterator, ownership, exception, and complexity guarantees before adopting it in production code.

Nearby reference pages

• C++ standard headers index
• C++ containers and views
• C++ algorithms and ranges
• C++ concurrency library
• C++ numerics and time
• Standard exceptions and errors
• Alphabetical index
• Operators and punctuators