C++ Vector: Pop First Element

Introduction

The C++ vector class is a dynamic array implementation that provides a resizable sequence container. It allows you to efficiently add or remove elements from both ends or at any position within the array.

In this guide, we will explore how to pop the first element from a vector in C++. We will provide code examples and explanations to illustrate the process.

Pop First Element from Vector

To remove the first element from a vector in C++, you can use the erase() function along with the begin() iterator. The erase() function is used to remove elements from a vector by specifying a range or a position.

Here's an example code snippet demonstrating the removal of the first element from a vector:

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>

int main() {
    std::vector<int> numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};

    // Pop the first element
    numbers.erase(numbers.begin());

    // Print the updated vector
    for (int num : numbers) {
        std::cout << num << " ";
    }
    
    return 0;
}

In the above code, we start with a vector called numbers, which contains the elements 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. We then use the erase() function on numbers.begin() to remove the first element from the vector.

The resulting vector will contain the elements 2, 3, 4, and 5. Finally, we loop through the updated vector and print each element.

The output of the above code will be:

2 3 4 5

Conclusion

In this guide, we learned how to remove the first element from a vector in C++. We used the erase() function along with the begin() iterator to accomplish this task. Remember that the erase() function can be used to remove elements by specifying a range or a position within the vector.

By utilizing the provided code snippets and explanations, you should now be able to effectively pop the first element from a vector in C++.