How to use iterators in C++ vector?

An iterator is used to move through the elements of a C++ Standard Library container (vector, set, map etc.). It is analogous to array indexes or pointers. This pointer-like object that can be incremented or decremented, de-referenced (using *), and compared against another iterator. Vector iterators are random-access iterators, meaning, they can be used to access elements at any offset position relative to the element they point to.

There are 4 kinds of iterators that can be used with vectors:
1. vector::begin(): Returns an iterator pointing to the first element in the vector.
2. vector::end(): Returns an iterator pointing to an imaginary element after the last element in the vector.
3. vector::rbegin(): Returns a reverse iterator pointing to the last element in the vector
4. vector::rend(): Returns a reverse iterator pointing to an imaginary element before the first element

Syntax to create vector iterator:

vector<data_type>::iterator name; //standard iterator

vector<data_type>::reverse_iterator name; //reverse iterator 

Examples of iterators

Iterating in the forward direction
Note:
++ moves the iterator towards the right
-- moves the iterator towards the left

#include <iostream>
#include<vector>
using namespace std;

int main ()
{
  vector<char> vec;
  vec.push_back('A');
  vec.push_back('B');
  vec.push_back('C');
  vec.push_back('D');
  vec.push_back('E');
  cout<<"The elements are: \n";
  for (vector<char>::iterator it = vec.begin() ; it != vec.end(); ++it)
    cout<<*it<<"   ";
  return 0;
}

Output:

The elements are:
A  B  C  D  E

Iterating in the reverse direction
Note:
++ moves the iterator towards the left
-- moves the iterator towards the right

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

int main ()
{
  vector<char> vec;
  vec.push_back('A');
  vec.push_back('B');
  vec.push_back('C');
  vec.push_back('D');
  vec.push_back('E');
  cout<<"The elements are: \n";
  for (vector<char>::reverse_iterator it = vec.rbegin() ; it != vec.rend(); ++it)
    cout<<*it<<"   ";
  return 0;
}

Output:

The elements are:
E  D  C  B  A

Accessing elements and de-referencing using iterators

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

int main ()
{
  vector<int> vec;

  for(int i=1;i<=5;i++)
    vec.push_back(i);
  vector<int>::iterator it=vec.begin();


  cout<<"The element at index 2 is: "<<*(it+2)<<endl; // dereferencing and accessing element
  cout<<"\n";

  cout<<"Before increment, iterator points to index "<<it - vec.begin()<<endl;
  cout<<"Value at index: "<<*it<<endl;
  it++;
  cout<<"After increment, iterator points to index "<<it - vec.begin()<<endl;
  cout<<"Value at index: "<<*it<<endl;

}

Output:

The element at index 2 is: 3

Before increment, iterator points to index 0
Value at index: 1
Before increment, iterator points to index 1
Value at index: 2