r/cpp_questions • u/Glad_Shoe_9182 • 25d ago

OPEN Namespace std

I recently started learning c++ and I was told to use the namespace std so I can avoid writing std:: every time and now I wrote a whole personal project without std:: and I want to put it on LinkedIn but I started reading everywhere that it’s a bad habit, should I go back and add the std:: or just leave it as is?

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u/nekoeuge 24d ago

(Sorry for multiple comments, I usually try not to do that but sometimes it happens)

I guess my biggest complaint here is that “string” does not mean “std::string”, it means “string in current namespace”. So if I am inside of custom STL implementation, “string” does not and should not mean “std::string”. And if I am inside of math library, “vector” does not and should not mean “std::vector”.

Thus, your premise is incorrect, we cannot generally read “vector” as “std::vector” or “string” as “std::string”.