How do I provide stable iteration order with std::map in multithreaded code?

In C++, using std::map provides a stable iteration order since it is a sorted associative container. However, in multithreaded applications, concurrent modifications may lead to unpredictable behavior. To maintain stability while iterating over a std::map, it's crucial to implement proper synchronization mechanisms.

Here’s an example illustrating how to safely iterate over a std::map in a multithreaded environment using mutex locks:

#include <iostream> #include <map> #include <thread> #include <mutex> #include <chrono> std::map<int, std::string> myMap; std::mutex mapMutex; void addToMap(int key, const std::string &value) { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mapMutex); myMap[key] = value; } void iterateMap() { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mapMutex); for (const auto &pair : myMap) { std::cout << pair.first << ": " << pair.second << std::endl; } } int main() { std::thread t1(addToMap, 1, "One"); std::thread t2(addToMap, 2, "Two"); t1.join(); t2.join(); std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(100)); // Ensure the map is populated iterateMap(); return 0; }

C++ std::map multithreading synchronization stable iteration order mutex concurrent programming