20 Library introduction [library]

The C++ standard library provides definitions for the entities and macros described in the synopses of the C++ standard library headers ([headers]).

All library entities except operator new and operator delete are defined within the namespace std or namespaces nested within namespace std.166 It is unspecified whether names declared in a specific namespace are declared directly in that namespace or in an inline namespace inside that namespace.167

Whenever a name x defined in the standard library is mentioned, the name x is assumed to be fully qualified as ​::​std​::​x, unless explicitly described otherwise. For example, if the Effects: section for library function F is described as calling library function G, the function ​::​std​::​G is meant.