C++ reverse 'for' loop
Let the compiler tell you what's wrong!
If you compiled your program with warnings enabled, the compiler would tell you something like this:
<source>: In function 'int main()':
7:43: warning: comparison of unsigned expression in '>= 0' is always true [-Wtype-limits]
7 | for(std::size_t i = vec.size() - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
| ~~^~~~
Why is that? It's because std::size_t
is an unsigned type in C++; it only represents non-negative numbers. Read more about turning on warnings and why it's important: Why should I always enable compiler warnings?
So, how should we reverse-iterate?
I've decided to split my answer here off to a separate question, independent of OP's bug. Please go read it.
The problem is that size_t
is an unsigned integer, i.e. it can only have positive values. When you decrease 0 for an unsigned type an underflow happens and the result is usually the largest integer representable by that type, e.g. 18446744073709223794 in your case. Finally the check for i >= 0
is always true for any unsigned type and your loop will never terminate.