STD::FILESYSTEM_DIRECTORY_ITERATOR(3)

💅 std::filesystem::directory_iterator — Library Functions Manual

okay so bestie, imagine a little iterator guy whose whole personality is "I go through one (1) directory's entries, one at a time" ✨ that's literally this. no cap, that's the whole vibe of std::filesystem::directory_iterator — an iterator type for traversing the entries in a single directory, periodt. 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

🦋 Public Types

the glow-up lineup, aka what this iterator is on the inside:

• typedef ptrdiff_t difference_type — the difference type, for when you gotta measure distance between two of these bad boys.
• typedef input_iterator_tag iterator_category — yep, it's officially an input iterator. it's giving "read-only, get in, get out". 🏃‍♀️
• typedef const directory_entry * pointer — pointer to a const directory_entry. no touching, only admiring.
• typedef const directory_entry & reference — same energy but a reference. immaculate.
• typedef directory_entry value_type — the actual thing you get when you dereference it: a directory_entry. main character energy, honestly.

💖 Public Member Functions

every single one, and yes we're listing them all because we don't skip:

• directory_iterator (const directory_iterator &__rhs)=default — copy constructor, defaulted, because the compiler's version ate and left no crumbs.
• directory_iterator (const path &__p) — build one over the directory at path __p.
• directory_iterator (const path &__p, directory_options __options) — same, but you get to pass directory_options __options to tweak the behaviour.
• directory_iterator (const path &__p, directory_options __options, error_code &__ec) — the version with __options and an error_code &__ec so errors go into __ec instead of getting thrown at you.
• directory_iterator (const path &__p, error_code &__ec) — just the path plus error_code &__ec. errors get parked in __ec, no drama. 🙈
• directory_iterator (directory_iterator &&__rhs) noexcept=default — move constructor, noexcept, defaulted. slay.
• directory_iterator & increment (error_code &__ec) — the actual advancing-but-report-errors-into-__ec move, returns *this. 💅
• const directory_entry & operator* () const noexcept — dereference, const, noexcept, gives you the directory_entry you're currently sitting on.
• directory_iterator & operator++ () — prefix increment. go to the next entry, return *this.
• __directory_iterator_proxy operator++ (int) — postfix increment (the int dummy arg), returns a __directory_iterator_proxy. iconic little proxy moment.
• const directory_entry * operator-> () const noexcept — arrow operator, const, noexcept, hands you a const directory_entry *.
• directory_iterator & operator= (const directory_iterator &__rhs)=default — copy assignment, defaulted.
• directory_iterator & operator= (directory_iterator &&__rhs) noexcept=default — move assignment, noexcept, defaulted. we love a clean handoff. ✨

🫶 Friends

not our functions, but they're in the group chat:

• bool operator!= (const directory_iterator &__lhs, const directory_iterator &__rhs) noexcept — are these two NOT the same? noexcept, obviously.
• bool operator== (const directory_iterator &__lhs, const directory_iterator &__rhs) noexcept — are these two the same? also noexcept. comparing iterators is self-care. ⭐
• class recursive_directory_iterator — listed as a friend class. the more chaotic cousin. (iykyk)

🌸 Related Functions

heads up bestie: these are not member functions, okay? don't come for me. they're just chilling here.

• directory_iterator begin (directory_iterator __iter) noexcept — enable range-based for using directory_iterator. literally just so you can write for (auto &e : it) and feel like a genius. 🧚
• directory_iterator end (directory_iterator) noexcept — return a past-the-end directory_iterator. the finish line, the end of the scroll, the final boss.

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💜 Detailed Description 💜

Iterator type for traversing the entries in a single directory. 🗂️

that's it. that's the whole deal. one directory, entries, traversed. you're doing amazing sweetie.

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🌈 Author 🌈

Generated automatically by Doxygen for libstdc++ from the source code. so like, a robot wrote this one, but it understood the assignment fr fr. 🤖💖

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ok that's the whole page, no notes. go forth and iterate responsibly, bestie 🦋

libstdc++ · Wed Oct 7 2026 · and that's the sign-off for std::files...ry_iterator(3) — mwah 💋 ✧・ﾟ: ✧・ﾟ: