std::map::lower_bound or std::map::upper_bound when the key is not contained?












0















If I well understand, in a given map m:
If I want to find the first key greater or equal to a given key k, I use m.lower_bound(k).
If I want to find the first key strictly greater than a given key k, I use m.upper_bound(k).



If I still well understand, there is no difference if the key k is not contained yet in the map m. In this specific case (I KNOW my map doesn't contain the key), is there any reason to chose one or the other ? Is there one faster than the other ?



Note: I don't use C++11/14/17 for compatibility reason.










share|improve this question




















  • 3





    When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:54








  • 1





    The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:57






  • 2





    As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

    – Joseph Wood
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:01








  • 1





    Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

    – Öö Tiib
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:08








  • 3





    @user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

    – Pete Becker
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:54


















0















If I well understand, in a given map m:
If I want to find the first key greater or equal to a given key k, I use m.lower_bound(k).
If I want to find the first key strictly greater than a given key k, I use m.upper_bound(k).



If I still well understand, there is no difference if the key k is not contained yet in the map m. In this specific case (I KNOW my map doesn't contain the key), is there any reason to chose one or the other ? Is there one faster than the other ?



Note: I don't use C++11/14/17 for compatibility reason.










share|improve this question




















  • 3





    When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:54








  • 1





    The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:57






  • 2





    As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

    – Joseph Wood
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:01








  • 1





    Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

    – Öö Tiib
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:08








  • 3





    @user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

    – Pete Becker
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:54
















0












0








0


1






If I well understand, in a given map m:
If I want to find the first key greater or equal to a given key k, I use m.lower_bound(k).
If I want to find the first key strictly greater than a given key k, I use m.upper_bound(k).



If I still well understand, there is no difference if the key k is not contained yet in the map m. In this specific case (I KNOW my map doesn't contain the key), is there any reason to chose one or the other ? Is there one faster than the other ?



Note: I don't use C++11/14/17 for compatibility reason.










share|improve this question
















If I well understand, in a given map m:
If I want to find the first key greater or equal to a given key k, I use m.lower_bound(k).
If I want to find the first key strictly greater than a given key k, I use m.upper_bound(k).



If I still well understand, there is no difference if the key k is not contained yet in the map m. In this specific case (I KNOW my map doesn't contain the key), is there any reason to chose one or the other ? Is there one faster than the other ?



Note: I don't use C++11/14/17 for compatibility reason.







c++ stdmap c++03






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Jan 10 at 7:56







Caduchon

















asked Nov 13 '18 at 12:52









CaduchonCaduchon

2,45711556




2,45711556








  • 3





    When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:54








  • 1





    The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:57






  • 2





    As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

    – Joseph Wood
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:01








  • 1





    Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

    – Öö Tiib
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:08








  • 3





    @user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

    – Pete Becker
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:54
















  • 3





    When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:54








  • 1





    The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

    – John Zwinck
    Nov 13 '18 at 12:57






  • 2





    As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

    – Joseph Wood
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:01








  • 1





    Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

    – Öö Tiib
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:08








  • 3





    @user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

    – Pete Becker
    Nov 13 '18 at 13:54










3




3





When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

– John Zwinck
Nov 13 '18 at 12:54







When you want to know what's faster, you should test it using something similar to your real environment.

– John Zwinck
Nov 13 '18 at 12:54






1




1





The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

– John Zwinck
Nov 13 '18 at 12:57





The only thing guaranteed by the standard is the abstract "big O" complexity, not the actual performance. You'll not find a guarantee about one being faster than the other (or both being equal) on all platforms, because the standard doesn't care about that (unless it rises to the level of a different "big O" complexity, which it surely will not).

– John Zwinck
Nov 13 '18 at 12:57




2




2





As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

– Joseph Wood
Nov 13 '18 at 13:01







As to your performance concern, I wouldn't expect one to be faster than the other as a map is inherently a binary tree, and my intuition tells me that upper_bound and lower_bound both make use of a binary search. There is probably a difference of an inequality floating around (e.g. <= vs <)

– Joseph Wood
Nov 13 '18 at 13:01






1




1





Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

– Öö Tiib
Nov 13 '18 at 13:08







Good reason (for my taste) is that "upper bound" conveys objective of your code better. Otherwise there most likely are no differences in that specific case.

– Öö Tiib
Nov 13 '18 at 13:08






3




3





@user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

– Pete Becker
Nov 13 '18 at 13:54







@user463035818 -- no, both functions will return the same value if the key is not in the container. That gives you an empty range for elements that match k. If all the elements are smaller than k, the first location where the new key could be inserted is at the end and the last location where the new key could be inserted is at the end. Similarly, if all elements are bigger than k, the new element goes at the beginning.

– Pete Becker
Nov 13 '18 at 13:54














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According to standard, they both run in Logarithmic time and it doens't really matter if you map contains the key or not. If there are differences in performance it will be platform specific.






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    According to standard, they both run in Logarithmic time and it doens't really matter if you map contains the key or not. If there are differences in performance it will be platform specific.






    share|improve this answer




























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      According to standard, they both run in Logarithmic time and it doens't really matter if you map contains the key or not. If there are differences in performance it will be platform specific.






      share|improve this answer


























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        1







        According to standard, they both run in Logarithmic time and it doens't really matter if you map contains the key or not. If there are differences in performance it will be platform specific.






        share|improve this answer













        According to standard, they both run in Logarithmic time and it doens't really matter if you map contains the key or not. If there are differences in performance it will be platform specific.







        share|improve this answer












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        answered Nov 13 '18 at 13:01









        darunedarune

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