How do you achieve the 'BST Property' in a Template Binary Search Tree?

Question

We recently started learning about binary search trees. We created one of our own using integers as our Key/Data. It's easy to achieve the BST property using an int key, but what happens when we template our tree? How do we achieve our BST property with say a char, string or foo? - These don't seem fitting for keys. Do we simply keep an int on our node and use that as our Key instead of our T data? Or, am I completely misunderstanding this concept all together?

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In the following code example, the coder implements a template binary search tree, and he is using T as his key. He proceeds to run comparisons between T when inserting, etc. But what happens when T has no overload for comparison operators? This code falls apart correct?

https://codereview.stackexchange.com/questions/56188/binary-search-tree-implementation-using-templates

Answer 1

Yes, it fails to compile, which is a totally fine and correct outcome. His BST is a valid implementation for any valid key type, and fails to compile for incorrect key types. There's no reason to desire any other behaviour. It's the best possible outcome.

These don't seem fitting for keys.

You're wrong. Any T with a comparison operator and a couple other bits like copy/move constructors is a fitting key.