Iterator invalidation rules for C++ containers

C++03 (Source: Iterator Invalidation Rules (C++03))

Insertion

Sequence containers

• vector: all iterators and references before the point of insertion are unaffected, unless the new container size is greater than the previous capacity (in which case all iterators and references are invalidated) [23.2.4.3/1]
• deque: all iterators and references are invalidated, unless the inserted member is at an end (front or back) of the deque (in which case all iterators are invalidated, but references to elements are unaffected) [23.2.1.3/1]
• list: all iterators and references unaffected [23.2.2.3/1]

Associative containers

• [multi]{set,map}: all iterators and references unaffected [23.1.2/8]

Container adaptors

• stack: inherited from underlying container
• queue: inherited from underlying container
• priority_queue: inherited from underlying container

Erasure

Sequence containers

• vector: every iterator and reference after the point of erase is invalidated [23.2.4.3/3]
• deque: all iterators and references are invalidated, unless the erased members are at an end (front or back) of the deque (in which case only iterators and references to the erased members are invalidated) [23.2.1.3/4]
• list: only the iterators and references to the erased element is invalidated [23.2.2.3/3]

Associative containers

• [multi]{set,map}: only iterators and references to the erased elements are invalidated [23.1.2/8]

Container adaptors

• stack: inherited from underlying container
• queue: inherited from underlying container
• priority_queue: inherited from underlying container

Resizing

• vector: as per insert/erase [23.2.4.2/6]
• deque: as per insert/erase [23.2.1.2/1]
• list: as per insert/erase [23.2.2.2/1]

Note 1

Unless otherwise specified (either explicitly or by defining a function in terms of other functions), invoking a container member function or passing a container as an argument to a library function shall not invalidate iterators to, or change the values of, objects within that container. [23.1/11]

Note 2

It's not clear in C++2003 whether "end" iterators are subject to the above rules; you should assume, anyway, that they are (as this is the case in practice).

Note 3

The rules for invalidation of pointers are the sames as the rules for invalidation of references.

C++11 (Source: Iterator Invalidation Rules (C++0x))

Insertion

Sequence containers

• vector: all iterators and references before the point of insertion are unaffected, unless the new container size is greater than the previous capacity (in which case all iterators and references are invalidated) [23.3.6.5/1]
• deque: all iterators and references are invalidated, unless the inserted member is at an end (front or back) of the deque (in which case all iterators are invalidated, but references to elements are unaffected) [23.3.3.4/1]
• list: all iterators and references unaffected [23.3.5.4/1]
• forward_list: all iterators and references unaffected (applies to insert_after) [23.3.4.5/1]
• array: (n/a)

Associative containers

• [multi]{set,map}: all iterators and references unaffected [23.2.4/9]

Unsorted associative containers

• unordered_[multi]{set,map}: all iterators invalidated when rehashing occurs, but references unaffected [23.2.5/8]. Rehashing does not occur if the insertion does not cause the container's size to exceed z * B where z is the maximum load factor and B the current number of buckets. [23.2.5/14]

Container adaptors

• stack: inherited from underlying container
• queue: inherited from underlying container
• priority_queue: inherited from underlying container

Erasure

Sequence containers

• vector: every iterator and reference at or after the point of erase is invalidated [23.3.6.5/3]
• deque: erasing the last element invalidates only iterators and references to the erased elements and the past-the-end iterator; erasing the first element invalidates only iterators and references to the erased elements; erasing any other elements invalidates all iterators and references (including the past-the-end iterator) [23.3.3.4/4]
• list: only the iterators and references to the erased element is invalidated [23.3.5.4/3]
• forward_list: only the iterators and references to the erased element is invalidated (applies to erase_after) [23.3.4.5/1]
• array: (n/a)

Associative containers

• [multi]{set,map}: only iterators and references to the erased elements are invalidated [23.2.4/9]

Unordered associative containers

• unordered_[multi]{set,map}: only iterators and references to the erased elements are invalidated [23.2.5/13]

Container adaptors

• stack: inherited from underlying container
• queue: inherited from underlying container
• priority_queue: inherited from underlying container

Resizing

• vector: as per insert/erase [23.3.6.5/12]
• deque: as per insert/erase [23.3.3.3/3]
• list: as per insert/erase [23.3.5.3/1]
• forward_list: as per insert/erase [23.3.4.5/25]
• array: (n/a)

Note 1

Unless otherwise specified (either explicitly or by defining a function in terms of other functions), invoking a container member function or passing a container as an argument to a library function shall not invalidate iterators to, or change the values of, objects within that container. [23.2.1/11]

Note 2

no swap() function invalidates any references, pointers, or iterators referring to the elements of the containers being swapped. [ Note: The end() iterator does not refer to any element, so it may be invalidated. —end note ] [23.2.1/10]

Note 3

Other than the above caveat regarding swap(), it's not clear whether "end" iterators are subject to the above listed per-container rules; you should assume, anyway, that they are.

Note 4

vector and all unordered associative containers support reserve(n) which guarantees that no automatic resizing will occur at least until the size of the container grows to n. Caution should be taken with unordered associative containers because a future proposal will allow the specification of a minimum load factor, which would allow rehashing to occur on insert after enough erase operations reduce the container size below the minimum; the guarantee should be considered potentially void after an erase.