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std::move_iterator

Defined in header `<iterator>`
template< class Iter > class move_iterator;		(since C++11)

std::move_iterator is an iterator adaptor which behaves exactly like the underlying iterator (which must be at least a LegacyInputIterator or model input_iterator (since C++20), or stronger iterator concept (since C++23)), except that dereferencing converts the value returned by the underlying iterator into an rvalue. If this iterator is used as an input iterator, the effect is that the values are moved from, rather than copied from.

Member types

Member type Definition

iterator_type Iter

iterator_category

std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category.

(until C++20)

If std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category is valid and denotes a type:

if std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category models std::derived_from<std::random_access_iterator_tag>, member iterator_category is std::random_access_iterator_tag.
Otherwise, member iterator_category is the same type as std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category.

Otherwise, there is no member iterator_category.

(since C++20)

iterator_concept

`std::input_iterator_tag`.	(since C++20) (until C++23)
`std::random_access_iterator_tag`, if `Iter` models `std::random_access_iterator`. Otherwise, `std::bidirectional_iterator_tag`, if `Iter` models `std::bidirectional_iterator`. Otherwise, `std::forward_iterator_tag`, if `Iter` models `std::forward_iterator`. Otherwise, `std::input_iterator_tag`.	(since C++23)

value_type

`std::iterator_traits<Iter>::value_type`.	(until C++20)
`std::iter_value_t<Iter>`	(since C++20)

difference_type

`std::iterator_traits<Iter>::difference_type`.	(until C++20)
`std::iter_difference_t<Iter>`	(since C++20)

pointer Iter

reference

If `std::iterator_traits<Iter>::reference` is a reference, this is the rvalue reference version of the same type. Otherwise (such as if the wrapped iterator returns by value), this is `std::iterator_traits<Iter>::reference` unchanged.	(until C++20)
`std::iter_rvalue_reference_t<Iter>`	(since C++20)

Member functions

(constructor) (C++11)	constructs a new iterator adaptor (public member function)
operator= (C++11)	assigns another iterator adaptor (public member function)
base (C++11)	accesses the underlying iterator (public member function)
operator*operator-> (C++11)(C++11)(deprecated in C++20)	accesses the pointed-to element (public member function)
operator[] (C++11)	accesses an element by index (public member function)
operator++operator++(int)operator+=operator+operator--operator--(int)operator-=operator- (C++11)	advances or decrements the iterator (public member function)

Member objects

Member name	Definition
`current` (private)	the underlying iterator from which `base()` copies or moves (since C++20), the name is for exposition only

Non-member functions

operator==operator!=operator<operator<=operator>operator>=operator<=> (C++11)(C++11)(removed in C++20)(C++11)(C++11)(C++11)(C++11)(C++20)	compares the underlying iterators (function template)
operator==(std::move_sentinel) (C++20)	compares the underlying iterator and the underlying sentinel (function template)
operator+ (C++11)	advances the iterator (function template)
operator- (C++11)	computes the distance between two iterator adaptors (function template)
operator-(std::move_sentinel) (C++20)	computes the distance between the underlying iterator and the underlying sentinel (function template)
iter_move (C++20)	casts the result of dereferencing the underlying iterator to its associated rvalue reference type (function)
iter_swap (C++20)	swaps the objects pointed to by two underlying iterators (function template)
make_move_iterator (C++11)	creates a `std::move_iterator` of type inferred from the argument (function template)

Notes

Feature-test macro	Value	Std	Comment
`__cpp_lib_move_iterator_concept`	202207L	(C++23)	Make `std::move_iterator<T*>` a random access iterator

Example

#include <algorithm>
#include <iomanip>
#include <iostream>
#include <iterator>
#include <numeric>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
 
int main()
{
    std::vector<std::string> v{"this", "_", "is", "_", "an", "_", "example"};
 
    auto print_v = [&](auto const rem)
    {
        std::cout << rem;
        for (const auto& s : v)
            std::cout << std::quoted(s) << ' ';
        std::cout << '\n';
    };
 
    print_v("Old contents of the vector: ");
 
    std::string concat = std::accumulate(std::make_move_iterator(v.begin()),
                                         std::make_move_iterator(v.end()),
                                         std::string());
 
    // An alternative that uses std::move_iterator directly could be:
    // using moviter_t = std::move_iterator<std::vector<std::string>::iterator>;
    // std::string concat = std::accumulate(moviter_t(v.begin()),
    //                                      moviter_t(v.end()),
    //                                      std::string());
 
    // Starting from C++17, which introduced class template argument deduction,
    // the constructor of std::move_iterator can be used directly without
    // template parameters in most cases:
    // std::string concat = std::accumulate(std::move_iterator(v.begin()),
    //                                      std::move_iterator(v.end()),
    //                                      std::string());
 
    print_v("New contents of the vector: ");
 
    std::cout << "Concatenated as string: " << quoted(concat) << '\n';
}

Possible output:

Old contents of the vector: "this" "_" "is" "_" "an" "_" "example"
New contents of the vector: "" "" "" "" "" "" ""
Concatenated as string: "this_is_an_example"

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 2106	C++11	dereferencing a `move_iterator` could return a dangling reference if the dereferencing the underlying iterator returns a prvalue	returns the object instead
P2259R1	C++20	member `iterator_category` was always defined	defined only if `std::iterator_traits<Iter>::iterator_category` exists

make_move_iterator (C++11)	creates a `std::move_iterator` of type inferred from the argument (function template)
move_sentinel (C++20)	sentinel adaptor for use with `std::move_iterator` (class template)