Standard Template Library means...?

[boscomanilow128]

Dear all,
I seem to know most of the things in the chapter of Standard Template Library of any introductory C++ textbook, iterators, containers, vectors, lists etc. I guess I can use the, them pretty well.
However, what exactly is Standard Template Library then? Are the iterators and the containers the standard template library? Or the vector template class together with its member function a standard template library? Or all the template class such as vector and list together with all its member functions a standard template library or what?
And if there is Standard Template Library, does that mean there is Non-Standard Template Library???
Thanks.
Bosco

[Peter87]

I cite the nolyc irc bot in ##C++ on irc.freenode.net

STL can mean: (1) C++ standard library; (2) the library Stepanov designed; (3) the parts of [1] based on [2]; (4) specific vendor implementations of [1], [2], or [3]; (5) the underlying principles of [2]; (6) The parts of [1] only in C++03. So the term is highly ambiguous, and must be used with extreme caution. If you meant [1] and insist on abbreviating, "stdlib" is a far better choice.

[Cubbi]

That nolyc factoid is pretty exhaustive. I can only add that C++ standard revisions and technical reports make no mention of "Standard Template Library", "STL", or anything of the sorts. The term is informal, although widespread.

[boscomanilow128]

Hmm... Ok thank you guys.