What is a set?

A set in STL is a container that stores unique elements in a particular order. Every operation on a set takes O(1) complexity in the average case and takes O(n) in the worst case.

Syntax:

set<object_type> variable_name;

Example:

set<int> s;
set<string> str;

Functions in set:

• insert() – to insert an element in the set.
  

set<int> s;
s.insert(1);
s.insert(2);

• begin() – return an iterator pointing to the first element in the set.
  

s.begin();

• end() – returns an iterator to the theoretical element after the last element.
  

s.end();

• count() – returns true or false based on whether the element is present in the set or not.
  

set<int> s;
s.insert(1);
s.insert(2);
s.count(2); //returns true

• clear() – deletes all the elements in the set.
  

s.clear();

• find() – to search an element in the set.
  

set<int> s;
s.insert(1);
s.insert(2);
if(s.find(2)!=s.end())
cout<<"true"<<endl;

• erase() – to delete a single element or elements between a particular range.
  

s.erase();

• size() – returns the size of the set.
  

s.size();

• empty() – to check if the set is empty or not.
  

s.empty();

Code:

#include<bits/stdc++.h>

using namespace std;

int main() {
  set < int > s;
  for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
    s.insert(i);
  }

  cout << "Elements present in the set: ";
  for (auto it = s.begin(); it != s.end(); it++) {
    cout << * it << " ";
  }
  cout << endl;
  int n = 2;
  if (s.find(2) != s.end())
    cout << n << " is present in set" << endl;

  s.erase(s.begin());
  cout << "Elements after deleting the first element: ";
  for (auto it = s.begin(); it != s.end(); it++) {
    cout << * it << " ";
  }
  cout << endl;

  cout << "The size of the set is: " << s.size() << endl;

  if (s.empty() == false)
    cout << "The set is not empty " << endl;
  else
    cout << "The set is empty" << endl;
  s.clear();
  cout << "Size of the set after clearing all the elements: " << s.size();
}

Other functions:

• cbegin() – it refers to the first element of the set.
• cend() – it refers to the theoretical element after the last element of the set.
• rbegin() – it points to the last element of the set.
• rend() – it points to the theoretical element before the first element of the set.
• bucket_size() – gives the total number of elements present in a specific bucket in a set.
• emplace() – to insert an element in the set.
• max_size() – the maximum elements a set can hold.
• max_bucket_count() – to check the maximum number of buckets a set can hold.

Special thanks to Subhrajit Das for contributing to this article on takeUforward. If you also wish to share your knowledge with the takeUforward fam, please check out this article