The C++ STL consists of three main components: Containers: These are data structures used to store and manage collections of elements. Examples include vectors, lists, sets, and maps. Iterators: Iterators provide a uniform way to access the elements of containers, regardless of the underlying data structure. They allow for traversal and manipulation of container elements. Algorithms: Algorithms are generic functions that operate on containers using iterators. They provide a variety of operations, including sorting, searching, and transformation.