Should I prefer iterators over const_iterators?

c++ stl iterator const-iterator
Frank picture Frank · Apr 19, 2009 · Viewed 11.9k times · Source

Someone here recently brought up the article from Scott Meyers that says:

  • Prefer iterators over const_iterators (pdf link).

Someone else was commenting that the article is probably outdated. I'm wondering what your opinions are?

Here is mine: One of the main points of the article is that you cannot erase or insert on a const_iterator, but I think it's funny to use that as an argument against const_iterators. I thought the whole point of const_iterators it that you do not modify the range at all, neither the elements themselves by substituting their values nor the range by inserting or erasing. Or am I missing something?

Answer

Gal Goldman picture Gal Goldman · Apr 19, 2009

I totally agree with you. I think the answer is simple: Use const_iterators where const values are the right thing to use, and vice versa. Seems to me that those who are against const_iterators must be against const in general...

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