layout	title	folder	permalink	categories	tags
pattern	Iterator	iterator	/patterns/iterator/	Behavioral	Java Difficulty-Beginner Gang Of Four

Also known as

Cursor

Intent

Provide a way to access the elements of an aggregate object sequentially without exposing its underlying representation.

Applicability

Use the Iterator pattern

• to access an aggregate object's contents without exposing its internal representation
• to support multiple traversals of aggregate objects
• to provide a uniform interface for traversing different aggregate structures

Real world examples

• java.util.Iterator
• java.util.Enumeration

Credits

• Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software