Advantages of std::for_each over for loop

Are there any advantages of std::for_each over for loop? To me, std::for_each only seems to hinder the readability of code. Why do then some coding standards recommend its use?

Solution 1:

The nice thing with C++11 (previously called C++0x), is that this tiresome debate will be settled.

I mean, no one in their right mind, who wants to iterate over a whole collection, will still use this

for(auto it = collection.begin(); it != collection.end() ; ++it)
{
   foo(*it);
}

Or this

for_each(collection.begin(), collection.end(), [](Element& e)
{
   foo(e);
});

when the range-based for loop syntax is available:

for(Element& e : collection)
{
   foo(e);
}

This kind of syntax has been available in Java and C# for some time now, and actually there are way more foreach loops than classical for loops in every recent Java or C# code I saw.

Solution 2:

Here are some reasons:

1. It seems to hinder readability just because you're not used to it and/or not using the right tools around it to make it really easy. (see boost::range and boost::bind/boost::lambda for helpers. Many of these will go into C++0x and make for_each and related functions more useful.)

2. It allows you to write an algorithm on top of for_each that works with any iterator.

3. It reduces the chance of stupid typing bugs.

4. It also opens your mind to the rest of the STL-algorithms, like find_if, sort, replace, etc and these won't look so strange anymore. This can be a huge win.

Update 1:

Most importantly, it helps you go beyond for_each vs. for-loops like that's all there is, and look at the other STL-alogs, like find / sort / partition / copy_replace_if, parallel execution .. or whatever.

A lot of processing can be written very concisely using "the rest" of for_each's siblings, but if all you do is to write a for-loop with various internal logic, then you'll never learn how to use those, and you'll end up inventing the wheel over and over.

And (the soon-to-be available range-style for_each) + lambdas:

for_each(monsters, [](auto& m) { m.think(); });

is IMO more readable than:

for (auto i = monsters.begin(); i != monsters.end(); ++i) {
    i->think();
} 

Also this:

for_each(bananas, [&](auto& b) { my_monkey.eat(b); );

Is more concise than:

for (auto i = bananas.begin(); i != bananas.end(); ++i) {
    my_monkey->eat(*i);
} 

But new range based for is probably the best:

 for (auto& b : bananas)
     my_monkey.eat(b);

But the for_each could be useful, especially if you have several functions to call in order but need to run each method for all objects before next... but maybe that's just me. ;)

Update 2: I've written my own one-liner wrappers of stl-algos that work with ranges instead of pair of iterators. boost::range_ex, once released, will include that and maybe it will be there in C++0x too?

Solution 3:

for_each is more generic. You can use it to iterate over any type of container (by passing in the begin/end iterators). You can potentially swap out containers underneath a function which uses for_each without having to update the iteration code. You need to consider that there are other containers in the world than std::vector and plain old C arrays to see the advantages of for_each.

The major drawback of for_each is that it takes a functor, so the syntax is clunky. This is fixed in C++11 (formerly C++0x) with the introduction of lambdas:

std::vector<int> container;
...
std::for_each(container.begin(), container.end(), [](int& i){
    i+= 10;
});

This will not look weird to you in 3 years.

Solution 4:

Personally, any time I'd need to go out of my way to use std::for_each (write special-purpose functors / complicated boost::lambdas), I find BOOST_FOREACH and C++0x's range-based for clearer:

BOOST_FOREACH(Monster* m, monsters) {
     if (m->has_plan()) 
         m->act();
}

vs

std::for_each(monsters.begin(), monsters.end(), 
  if_then(bind(&Monster::has_plan, _1), 
    bind(&Monster::act, _1)));