C++ - Stacks Part 4: Customizing Stacks with Containers

By default, stacks use std::deque as the underlying container, but you can use std::vector or std::list for customization.

Examples and Explanation

Using std::vector as the Underlying Container

std::stack<int, std::vector<int>> vectorStack;

vectorStack.push(1);

vectorStack.push(2);

std::cout << "Top: " << vectorStack.top(); // Output: 2

Explanation: Replacing deque with vector allows leveraging the benefits of std::vector, like better memory locality.

Using std::list as the Underlying Container

std::stack<int, std::list<int>> listStack;

listStack.push(5);

listStack.push(10);

std::cout << "Top: " << listStack.top(); // Output: 10

Explanation: Using std::list can improve performance for frequent insertions and deletions at both ends.

Performance Comparison

// Using std::deque

std::stack<int> dequeStack;

// Using std::list

std::stack<int, std::list<int>> listStack;

// Measure performance differences based on operations

Explanation: Choosing the right container for your stack can optimize performance based on the use case.