Vectors
Vectors are sequence containers representing arrays that can change in
size. Container is a objects that hold data of same type. Sequence
containers store elements strictly in linear sequence.
Vector stores elements in contiguous memory locations and enables direct
access to any element using subscript operator []. Unlike array, vector can
shrink or expand as needed at run time. The storage of the vector is
handled automatically.
To support shrink and expand functionality at runtime, vector container
may allocate some extra storage to accommodate for possible growth thus
container have actual capacity greater than the size. Therefore, compared
to array, vector consumes more memory in exchange for the ability to
manage storage and grow dynamically in an efficient way.
Zero sized vectors are also valid. In that case vector.begin() and
vector.end() points to same location.
Constructor from <vector>
Default Constructor
This default constructor std::vector::vector() constructs an
empty container, with zero elements. Size of this container is
always zero.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main( ) {
vector<int> vect;
cout << "size of vect = " << vect.size() << endl;
return 0;
OUTPUT
size of vect = 0
Fill Constructor
The fill constructor std::vector::vector() constructs a
container of size n and assigns value val(if provided) to each
element of the container.
Parameters
n − Size of container.
val − Value to be assigned to each element of container.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect(5, 0);
for (int i = 0; i < vect.size(); ++i)
cout << vect[i] << " ";
return 0;
OUTPUT
0 0 0 0 0
Member Functions
size() returns the number of elements present in the vector.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect;
cout << "vector size = " << vect.size() << endl;
vect.push_back(1);
cout << "vector size = " << vect.size() << endl;
return 0;
OUTPUT
vector size = 0
vector size = 1
Time Complexity Constant i.e. O(1)
push_back() inserts new element at the end of vector and
increases size of vector by one.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect;
/* Insert 5 elements */
for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i)
vect.push_back(i + 1);
for (int i = 0; i < vect.size(); ++i)
cout << vect[i] << " ";
return 0;
OUTPUT
1 2 3 4 5
Time Complexity Constant i.e. O(1)
begin() returns a random access iterator pointing to the first
element of the vector.
end() returns an iterator which points to past-the-end element in
the vector container. The past-the-end element is the theoretical
element that would follow the last element in the vector.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main ()
vector<int> vect;
for (int i=1; i<=5; i++)
vect.push_back(i);
cout << "vect contains:";
for (vector<int>::iterator it = vect.begin() ; it != vect.e
nd(); ++it)
cout << ' ' << *it;
cout << '\n';
return 0;
}
OUTPUT
vect contains: 1 2 3 4 5
Time Complexity Constant i.e. O(1)
empty() tests whether vector is empty or not. Vector of size zero is
considered as empty vector. It returns true if vector is empty
otherwise false.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect;
if (vect.empty())
cout << "Vector is empty" << endl;
vect.push_back(1);
vect.push_back(2);
vect.push_back(3);
if (!vect.empty())
cout << "Vector is not empty" << endl;
return 0;
OUTPUT
Vector is empty
Vector is not empty
Time Complexity Constant i.e. O(1)
clear() destroys the vector by removing all elements from the
vector and sets size of vector to zero.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main ()
vector<int> vect;
for (int i=1; i<=5; i++)
vect.push_back(i);
cout << "Initial size of vector = " << vect.size() << e
ndl;
/* destroy vector */
vect.clear();
cout << "Size of vector after clear = " << vect.size() << e
ndl;
return 0;
OUTPUT
Initial size of vector = 5
Size of vector after clear = 0
Time Complexity Linear i.e. O(n)
insert() extends vector by inserting new element at position in
container.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect = {2, 3, 4};
vect.insert(vect.begin(), 1);
for (vector<int>::iterator it = vect.begin(); it != vect.e
nd(); ++it)
cout << *it << " ";
return 0;
OUTPUT
1 2 3 4
Time Complexity Linear i.e. O(n)
front() returns a reference to the first element of the vector.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
cout << "First element of vector = " << vect.front() << en
dl;
return 0;
OUTPUT
First element of vector = 1
Time Complexity Constant i.e. O(1)
erase() removes single element from the the vector.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main() {
vector<int> vect = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
cout << "Original vector" << endl;
for (vector<int>::iterator it = vect.begin(); it != vect.e
nd(); ++it)
cout << *it << " ";
cout<<endl;
/* Remove first element */
vect.erase(vect.begin());
cout << "Modified vector" << endl;
for (vector<int>::iterator it = vect.begin(); it != vect.e
nd(); ++it)
cout << *it << " ";
return 0;
OUTPUT
Original vector
1 2 3 4 5
Modified vector
2 3 4 5
Time Complexity Linear i.e. O(n)
Other Useful Functions
at() returns reference to the element present at location n in the
vector.
vector<int> vect = {1,2,3,4};
vect.at(0); //prints element at index 0 which is 1
back() returns a reference to the last element of the vector.
vector<int> vect = {1,2,3,4};
vect.back(); //prints the last element which is 4
capacity() returns the size of allocated storage, expressed in
terms of elements.
swap() exchanges the content of one vector v1 with contents of
other vector v2.
Example:
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
int main(void) {
vector<int> v1;
vector<int> v2 = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
v1.swap(v2);
cout << "Vector v1 contains" << endl;
for (int i = 0; i < v1.size(); ++i)
cout << v1[i] << " ";
return 0;
OUTPUT
Vector v1 contains
1 2 3 4 5
