C++ Sort Function Explained

In C++, the sort() function is a standard library function used to sort elements in a container.

The sort() function can be used to sort various types of containers, such as arrays, vectors, deques, lists, sets, and more.

The sort() function typically uses the quick sort algorithm to sort elements, however the specific implementation may vary due to different compilers and container types.

When calling the sort() function, two iterators need to be passed as parameters, indicating the range to be sorted. The first parameter represents the starting position of the elements to be sorted, while the second parameter represents the next position after the end position of the elements to be sorted.

The sorting scope can include the entire container or just a portion of it. The sort() function will compare elements based on their comparison operator (overloaded operator <) in order to perform the sorting.

After sorting, the elements in the container will be arranged in either ascending (default) or descending order.

Here is an example of sorting an array using the sort() function:

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>

int main() {
    int arr[] = {5, 2, 7, 1, 9};
    int n = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);

    std::sort(arr, arr + n);

    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        std::cout << arr[i] << " ";
    }

    return 0;
}

The output is: 1 2 5 7 9