Container Support for Iterators

The iterator category that each container supports determines whether that container can be used with specific algorithms. Containers that support random-access iterators can be used with all Standard Library algorithms—with the exception that if an algorithm requires changes to a container’s size, the algorithm can’t be used on built-in arrays or array objects. Pointers into built-in arrays can be used in place of iterators with most algorithms. Figure 15.7 shows the iterator category of each container. The first-class containers, strings and built-in arrays are all traversable with iterators.

Fig. 15.7. Iterator types supported by each container.