How do I get the index of an iterator of an std::vector?

I would prefer it - vec.begin() precisely for the opposite reason given by Naveen: so it wouldn’t compile if you change the vector into a list. If you do this during every iteration, you could easily end up turning an O(n) algorithm into an O(n^2) algorithm.

Another option, if you don’t jump around in the container during iteration, would be to keep the index as a second loop counter.

Note: it is a common name for a container iterator,std::container_type::iterator it;.

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