Thread: Overloading <<

Hi all,
i am studying a C++ book. Now i am having the chapter struct..so slowly going to classes. The book is ok, makes, but makes me angry from time to time, because the guy mention sth new but used a complicated example...i need help to understand this example :

Code:

struct Person {
    string name_;
    int age_;
    string place_;
};

// i don't get this implementation
std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, Person p) {
        return os << p.name_ << " ("<< p.age_<<") from " << p.place_;
}

int main() {
Person paul {"Paul", 23, "Dresden"};
cout << "You are " << paul << ", right ?\n";
}

what i dont understand is the overloading of <<. especially the parameter list (std::ostream& os, Person p).

in the main.. the usage happens with "<< paul"
where do i see here the parameters , especially std::ostream& os

so i dont really understand neither the implementation nor the usage of it.

would be grateful if someone can explain me this in an understandable way.

i have watched a video about overloading the + operator, and it was easy to understand.

but introducing the overloading in a beginner book with such an example is really mean...there is not even a proper explanation..

When I was learning basics about operator overloading, I came across this and it's really good.

Operator Overloading in C++ - GeeksforGeeks

Stroustrup: C++ Style and Technique FAQ

Operator overloading - Wikipedia