Professional .NET 2.0 Generics

Chapter 3. Generics ≠ Templates

In the early stages of introducing generics, there was a fair amount of confusion surrounding the scope and capabilities of this new language feature. Many developers jumped to the conclusion that generics would be the functional equivalent of C++ templates. And, while these two constructs share common heritage, they definitely cannot be viewed—in any respect—as being one in the same. It's important, especially for those with a template orientation, to understand how generics and templates differ. This information may also be helpful, in a more conceptual sense, to anyone transitioning to generics. Overall, after reading this chapter, you should come away with a much clearer picture of the fundamental differences that exist between generics and templates implementations.