# std::filesystem::begin(directory_iterator), std::filesystem::end(directory_iterator)

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< cpp‎ | filesystem‎ | directory iterator

Defined in header `<filesystem>` |  |
directory_iterator begin( directory_iterator iter ) noexcept; | (1) | (since C++17)
directory_iterator end( directory_iterator ) noexcept; | (2) | (since C++17)

1) Returns `iter` unchanged.
2) Returns a default-constructed `directory_iterator`, which serves as the end iterator. The argument is ignored.

These non-member functions enable the use of `directory_iterator`s with range-based for loops and make `directory_iterator` a `range` type (since C++20).

### Parameters

iter | - | a `directory_iterator`

### Return value

1) `iter` unchanged.
2) End iterator (default-constructed `directory_iterator`).

### Example

Run this code

    #include <fstream>
    #include <iostream>
    #include <filesystem>
    namespace fs = std::filesystem;

    int main()
    {
        fs::create_directories("sandbox/a/b");
        std::ofstream("sandbox/file1.txt");
        std::ofstream("sandbox/file2.txt");
        for(auto& p: fs::directory_iterator("sandbox"))
            std::cout << p << '\n';
        fs::remove_all("sandbox");
    }

Possible output:

    "sandbox/a"
    "sandbox/file1.txt"
    "sandbox/file2.txt"

### Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior
--- | --- | --- | ---
LWG 3480 | C++17 | `end` took the argument by reference | takes the argument by value

### See also

begin(std::filesystem::recursive_directory_iterator)end(std::filesystem::recursive_directory_iterator) | range-based for loop support (function)

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