C++ STL Iterators: The Bridge Between Containers and Algorithms

Iterators are the architectural bridge that decouples STL containers from STL algorithms. An iterator acts as an generalized smart pointer that traverses through the elements of any container uniformly.

Iterator Operations Demonstration

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>

int main() {
    std::vector<int> nums = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

    // Forward iteration
    std::cout << "Forward: ";
    for (auto it = nums.begin(); it != nums.end(); ++it) {
        std::cout << *it << " ";
    }
    std::cout << "\n";

    // Reverse iteration
    std::cout << "Reverse: ";
    for (auto rit = nums.rbegin(); rit != nums.rend(); ++rit) {
        std::cout << *rit << " ";
    }
    std::cout << "\n";

    return 0;
}