using

The keyword using is used to introduce a name from a namespace into the current declarative region. For example:

// using
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

namespace first
{
  int x = 5;
  int y = 10;
}

namespace second
{
  double x = 3.1416;
  double y = 2.7183;
}

int main () {
  using first::x;
  using second::y;
  cout << x << endl;
  cout << y << endl;
  cout << first::y << endl;
  cout << second::x << endl;
  return 0;
}

 

5
2.7183
10
3.1416

Notice how in this code, x (without any name qualifier) refers to first::x whereas y refers to second::y, exactly as our using declarations have specified. We still have access to first::y and second::x using their fully qualified names.

The keyword using can also be used as a directive to introduce an entire namespace:

// using
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

namespace first
{
  int x = 5;
  int y = 10;
}

namespace second
{
  double x = 3.1416;
  double y = 2.7183;
}

int main () {
  using namespace first;
  cout << x << endl;
  cout << y << endl;
  cout << second::x << endl;
  cout << second::y << endl;
  return 0;
}

 

5
10
3.1416
2.7183

 In this case, since we have declared that we were using namespace first, all direct uses of x and y without name qualifiers were referring to their declarations in namespace first.

using and using namespace have validity only in the same block in which they are stated or in the entire code if they are used directly in the global scope. For example, if we had the intention to first use the objects of one namespace and then those of another one, we could do something like:

// using namespace example
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

namespace first
{
  int x = 5;
}

namespace second
{
  double x = 3.1416;
}

int main () {
  {
    using namespace first;
    cout << x << endl;
  }
  {
    using namespace second;
    cout << x << endl;
  }
  return 0;
}

 

5
3.1416

 

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