Iterator library

 

C++

Language

Standard library headers

Concepts

Utilities library

Strings library

Containers library

Algorithms library

Iterators library

Numerics library

Input/output library

Localizations library

Regular expressions library (C++11)

Atomic operations library (C++11)

Thread support library (C++11)

 

Iterator library

Iterator primitives
iterator_traits
input_iterator_tag output_iterator_tag forward_iterator_tag bidirectional_iterator_tag random_access_iterator_tag
iterator
Iterator adaptors
reverse_iterator
move_iterator (C++11) back_insert_iterator front_insert_iterator insert_iterator	make_move_iterator (C++11) back_inserter front_inserter inserter
Stream iterators
istream_iterator
ostream_iterator
istreambuf_iterator
ostreambuf_iterator
Iterator operations
advance
distance
prev (C++11)
next (C++11)
Range access
begin (C++11)
end (C++11)

 

The iterator library provides definitions for five kinds of iterators as well as iterator traits, adapters, and utility functions.

Iterator categories

There are five kinds of iterators: InputIterator, OutputIterator, ForwardIterator, BidirectionalIterator, and RandomAccessIterator.

Instead of being defined by specific types, each category of iterator is defined by the operations that can be performed on it. This definition means that any type that supports the necessary operations can be used as an iterator -- for example, a pointer supports all of the operations required by RandomAccessIterator, so a pointer can be used anywhere a RandomAccessIterator is expected.

Four of the five iterator categories can be organized into a hierarchy, where more powerful iterator categories (e.g. RandomAccessIterator) support the operations of less powerful categories (e.g. InputIterator). If an iterator falls into one of these categories and also satisfies the requirements of OutputIterator, then it is called a mutable iterator and supports both input and output. Non-mutable iterators are called constant iterators.

Iterator category				Defined operations
RandomAccessIterator	BidirectionalIterator	ForwardIterator	InputIterator	read increment (without multiple passes)
				increment (with multiple passes)
				decrement
				random access
Iterators that fall into one of the above categories and also meet the requirements of OutputIterator are called mutable iterators.
OutputIterator				write increment (without multiple passes)

Iterator primitives

iterator_traits	provides uniform interface to the properties of an iterator (class template)
input_iterator_tag output_iterator_tag forward_iterator_tag bidirectional_iterator_tag random_access_iterator_tag	empty class types used to indicate iterator categories (class)
iterator	the basic iterator (class template)

Iterator adaptors

reverse_iterator	iterator adaptor for reverse-order traversal (class template)
move_iterator (C++11)	iterator adaptor which dereferences to an rvalue reference (class template)
make_move_iterator (C++11)	creates a std::move_iterator of type inferred from the argument (function template)
back_insert_iterator	iterator adaptor for insertion at the end of a container (class template)
back_inserter	creates a std::back_insert_iterator of type inferred from the argument (function template)
front_insert_iterator	iterator adaptor for insertion at the front of a container (class template)
front_inserter	creates a std::front_insert_iterator of type inferred from the argument (function template)
insert_iterator	iterator adaptor for insertion into a container (class template)
inserter	creates a std::insert_iterator of type inferred from the argument (function template)

Stream iterators

istream_iterator	input iterator that reads from std::basic_istream (class template)
ostream_iterator	output iterator that writes to std::basic_ostream (class template)
istreambuf_iterator	input iterator that reads from std::basic_streambuf (class template)
ostreambuf_iterator	output iterator that writes to std::basic_streambuf (class template)

Iterator operations

Defined in header <iterator>
advance	advances an iterator by given distance (function)
distance	returns the distance between two iterators (function)
next (C++11)	increment an iterator (function)
prev (C++11)	decrement an iterator (function)

Range access

Defined in header <iterator>
begin (C++11)	returns an iterator to the beginning of a container or array (function)
end (C++11)	returns an iterator to the end of a container or array (function)