What is the purpose of the sort function in C++?

The sort function in C++ is used to arrange the elements in a container. It is commonly used to sort arrays, vectors, and strings. The function utilizes the quicksort algorithm to sort the elements in ascending or descending order.

The syntax of the sort function is as follows:

template <class RandomAccessIterator>
void sort (RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator last);

template <class RandomAccessIterator, class Compare>
void sort (RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator last, Compare comp);

In this case, first and last are iterators in the container that specify the range of sorting. The second version of the sort function also accepts an optional comparison function comp to specify the sorting method. When comp(a, b) returns true, a will be placed before b.

By invoking the sort function, the elements within a container can be sorted in a certain order, making it easier to perform operations such as searching, inserting, and deleting, thereby increasing the efficiency of the program.