std::basic_string::begin, std::basic_string::cbegin

From cppreference.com
< cpplrm; | stringlrm; | basic string
std::basic_string
iterator begin();
const_iterator begin() const;
const_iterator cbegin() const;
(since C++11)

Returns an iterator to the first character of the string.

begin() returns a mutable or constant iterator, depending on the constness of *this.

cbegin() always returns a constant iterator. It is equivalent to const_cast<const basic_string&>(*this).begin().

range-begin-end.svg

Parameters

(none)

Return value

iterator to the first character

Exceptions

(none) (until C++11)
noexcept specification:
noexcept
(since C++11)

Complexity

Constant

Example

#include <string>
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
    std::string s("Exemplar");
    *s.begin() = 'e';
    std::cout << s <<'\n';

    auto i = s.cbegin();
    std::cout << *i << '\n';
//  *i = 'E'; // error: i is a constant iterator
}

Output:

exemplar
e

See also

(C++11)
returns an iterator to the end
(public member function)