What are some C++ Standard Library usage best practices? [closed]

Question

I'm learning C++ and the book I'm reading (The C++ Programming Language) says to not reinvent the wheel, to rely on the standard libraries. In C, I often end up creating a linked list, and link list iteration over and over again (maybe I'm doing that wrong not sure), so the ideas of containers available in C++, and strings, and algorithms really appeal to me. However I have read a little online, and heard some criticisms from my friends and coworkers about STL, so I thought I maybe I'd pick some brains here.

What are some best practices for using STL, and what lessons have you learned about STL?

Answer 1

There is a companion book to the Effective C++ series, which is called "Effective STL". It's a good starting point for learning about best practises using the Standard C++ library (neé STL).

Answer 2

You might want to pick up a copy of "Effective C++: 50 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Design (2nd Edition)":

http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Specific-Addison-Wesley-Professional-Computing/dp/0201924889

I've found it to be invaluable, and it's still very relevant today, even if you aren't programming in C++.