Queue in C++ STL

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The queue in the STL of C++ is a dynamically resizing container to implement the queue data structure. It is a sequential linear container which follows the First In First Out(FIFO) arrangement.

Definition in <queue>

std::queue is defined as follows under <queue> header file:

template <class T, class Container = deque<T> > class queue;

Declaration

A queue with name a storing integers is declared as follows:

queue<int> a;

Functions

Assume the queue a to be:



and the queue b to be:



The following functions are defined under the <queue> header file:

• a.empty(): Returns true if the queue is empty, false otherwise.

For the above queue a, the function returns false.

• a.size(): Returns an integer indicating the size of the queue a.

For the above queue a, the function returns the integer 3.

• a.swap(b): Swaps the contents of queue a with queue b.

For the above example, if the function is called, queue a becomes:



And queue b becomes:


• a.emplace(x): Places the element x at the back of the queue a.

For the queue a, if the function a.emplace(40) is called, a becomes:


• a.front(): Returns a reference to the first element of the queue a.

For the above queue a, the function returns the integer 10.

• a.back(): Returns a reference to the last element of the queue a.

For the above queue a, the function returns the integer 30.

• a.push(x): Inserts the element x at the back of the queue a.

For the queue a, if the function a.push(40) is called, a becomes:


• a.pop(): Removes the element x at the front of the queue a.

For the queue a, if the function a.pop() is called, a becomes:

Illustration of Queue

// C++ code to illustrate queue in Standard Template Library (STL) 
#include <iostream>
#include <queue>

using namespace std;

void display(queue <int> q)
{
    queue <int> c = q;
    while (!c.empty())
    {
        cout << " " << c.front();
        c.pop();
    }
    cout << "\n";
}

int main()
{
    queue <int> a;
    a.push(10);
    a.push(20);
    a.push(30);

    cout << "The queue a is :";
    display(a);

    cout << "a.empty() :" << a.empty() << "\n";
    cout << "a.size() : " << a.size() << "\n";
    cout << "a.front() : " << a.front() << "\n";
    cout << "a.back() : " << a.back() << "\n";

    cout << "a.pop() : ";
    a.pop();
    display(a);

    a.push(40);
    cout << "The queue a is :";
    display(a);

    return 0;
}

\\Console output
The queue a is : 10 20 30
a.empty() :0
a.size() : 3
a.front() : 10
a.back() : 30
a.pop() :  20 30
The queue a is : 20 30 40

State of Queue a after each iteration:

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