[EN] Generic data structures in C
Template meta programming has been a mainstay in C++ for years. It provides a system for compile-time polymorphism and generic programming with capabilities not present in many other languages, enriching the language and bringing new opportunities for expressiveness to the table. Why doesn't the C language have such capabilities? Well, besides the fact that C++'s templates were added to the language years after C and C++ stopped resembling each other (at least in the common coding styles of each language), the reality is that it does. Sort of. Let me show you what I mean. The C Preprocessor Enter, the C preprocessor. For many, a glorified find-and-replace engine; but in reality it hides great opportunities for those looking to expand their frontiers. Let's go over the basics first, and then we'll take a look at the true power of the C preprocessor. Object-like macros This is how the GNU Foundation refers to the simplest form of define directive [1] . These con