typename std::iterator_traits<InputIt>::difference_type
Returns the number of hops from first to last.
If InputIt
is not LegacyRandomAccessIterator, the behavior is undefined if last is not reachable from first.
If InputIt
is LegacyRandomAccessIterator, the behavior is undefined if first and last are neither reachable from each other.
InputIt
must meet the requirements of LegacyInputIterator. The operation is more efficient if InputIt
additionally meets the requirements of LegacyRandomAccessIterator. [edit] Return value
The number of increments needed to go from first to last.
The value may be negative if random-access iterators are used and first is reachable from last.
(since C++11) [edit] ComplexityLinear.
However, if InputIt
additionally meets the requirements of LegacyRandomAccessIterator, complexity is constant.
See also the implementations in libstdc++ and libc++.
C++98 implementation via tag dispatch, with constexpr removednamespace detail { template<class It> constexpr // required since C++17 typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type do_distance(It first, It last, std::input_iterator_tag) { typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type result = 0; while (first != last) { ++first; ++result; } return result; } template<class It> constexpr // required since C++17 typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type do_distance(It first, It last, std::random_access_iterator_tag) { return last - first; } } // namespace detail template<class It> constexpr // since C++17 typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type distance(It first, It last) { return detail::do_distance(first, last, typename std::iterator_traits<It>::iterator_category()); }C++17 implementation via if constexpr
template<class It> constexpr typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type distance(It first, It last) { using category = typename std::iterator_traits<It>::iterator_category; static_assert(std::is_base_of_v<std::input_iterator_tag, category>); if constexpr (std::is_base_of_v<std::random_access_iterator_tag, category>) return last - first; else { typename std::iterator_traits<It>::difference_type result = 0; while (first != last) { ++first; ++result; } return result; } }[edit] Example
#include <iostream> #include <iterator> #include <vector> int main() { std::vector<int> v{3, 1, 4}; std::cout << "distance(first, last) = " << std::distance(v.begin(), v.end()) << '\n' << "distance(last, first) = " << std::distance(v.end(), v.begin()) << '\n'; // the behavior is undefined (until LWG940) static constexpr auto il = {3, 1, 4}; // Since C++17 `distance` can be used in constexpr context. static_assert(std::distance(il.begin(), il.end()) == 3); static_assert(std::distance(il.end(), il.begin()) == -3); }
Output:
distance(first, last) = 3 distance(last, first) = -3[edit] Defect reports
The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.
DR Applied to Behavior as published Correct behavior LWG 940 C++98 the wording was unclear for the case where first is reachable from last made clear [edit] See also advances an iterator by given distanceRetroSearch is an open source project built by @garambo | Open a GitHub Issue
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