What are iterator patterns in C++?

What are iterator patterns in C++?

Iterator patterns in C++ are design patterns that provide a way to access elements of a collection sequentially without exposing its underlying representation.

Can you give me an example of how to implement an iterator in C++?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a custom iterator for a collection class:

class MyCollection {
public:
    class Iterator {
    public:
        Iterator(int* ptr) : m_ptr(ptr) {}
        int& operator*() { return *m_ptr; }
        Iterator& operator++() { ++m_ptr; return *this; }
        bool operator!=(const Iterator& other) { return m_ptr != other.m_ptr; }
    private:
        int* m_ptr;
    };

    MyCollection(int size) : m_size(size) {
        m_data = new int[size];
    }

    ~MyCollection() { delete[] m_data; }

    Iterator begin() { return Iterator(m_data); }
    Iterator end() { return Iterator(m_data + m_size); }

private:
    int* m_data;
    int m_size;
};

This class has a nested Iterator class that allows you to iterate over MyCollection objects.

What are the benefits of using iterator patterns?

The benefits include improved code readability, separation of concerns, and the ability to traverse different data structures uniformly.