Best Practices for Using STL Iterators in C++

What are some best practices for using STL iterators in C++?

When using STL iterators, it's important to ensure that you don't invalidate them by modifying the container. Always prefer using const_iterator when you don't need to modify the elements.

Can you explain the difference between begin() and end()?

Certainly! begin() returns an iterator pointing to the first element of the container, while end() returns an iterator pointing just past the last element. The end() iterator is not dereferenceable.

What about using iterators with algorithms?

Using iterators with algorithms is a powerful feature of the STL. You can pass iterators to algorithms like std::sort, std::find, and many others, allowing for flexible and efficient operations on containers.

Are there any common pitfalls to avoid?

Yes, common pitfalls include dereferencing invalidated iterators, mixing different types of iterators, and not checking for the end of the range before dereferencing.