References

References

• They solve some problems with raw pointers
• Once initialized, a reference cannot be changed. This makes them less dangerous.
• Instead of "pointing" to an address, a reference only "refers" to a fixed address / variable

References to stack value

int n = 1;
int &r1 = n;
int &r2 = r1;
int &r3 = n;

---

References as aliases

std::cout << "n: " << n << '\n';
std::cout << "r1: " << r1 << '\n';
std::cout << "r2: " << r2 << '\n';
std::cout << "r3: " << r3 << '\n';

---

Reference to array

int ar[3];
int(&ra)[3] = ar;

---

Reference as array alias

std::cout << "ar: " << ar << '\n';
std::cout << "ra: " << ra << '\n';

---

Reference to pointer

int *p = new int(3);
int *&ppr = p;

---

Reference as array alias

std::cout << "ar: " << ar << '\n';
std::cout << "ra: " << ra << '\n';

---

Reference to value pointed by p

int &prr = *p;
std::cout << "prr: " << prr << '\n';

---

Deleting pointer is not the responsibility of the reference

delete p;
// ppr and prr are now dangling references

---

Share Snippets