libstdc++ is an implementation of the Standard C++ Library, including the Standard Template Library (i.e. as specified by ANSI and ISO). Some notes on porting applications from libstdc++-2.90 (or earlier versions) to libstdc++-v3 can be found in the libstdc++6-4.3-doc package. After the installation of the package, look at: file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.3-base/libstdc++/html/17_intro/porting-howto.html On Debian GNU/Linux you find additional documentation in the libstdc++6-4.3-doc package. After installing these packages, point your browser to file:///usr/share/doc/libstdc++6-4.3-doc/libstdc++/html/index.html Other documentation can be found: http://www.sgi.com/tech/stl/ with a good, recent, book on C++. A great deal of useful C++ documentation can be found in the C++ FAQ-Lite, maintained by Marshall Cline . It can be found at the mirror sites linked from the following URL (this was last updated on 2010/09/11): http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq/ or use some search engin site to find it, e.g.: http://www.google.com/search?q=c%2B%2B+faq+lite Be careful not to use outdated mirors. Please send updates to this list as bug report for the g++ package.