2.3: References and Pointers

References and Pointers

There are 3 ways to pass C++ arguments to a function:

• call-by-value
• call-by-reference with pointer argument
• call-by-reference with reference argument

 

// C++ program to illustrate call-by-methods in C++ 
  
#include <iostream> 
using namespace std; 

//Pass-by-Value 
int square1(int n) 
{ 
    //Address of n in square1() is not the same as n1 in main() 
    cout << "address of n1 in square1(): " << &n << "\n";   
      
    // clone modified inside the function 
    n *= n; 
    return n; 
} 

//Pass-by-Reference with Pointer Arguments 
void square2(int *n) 
{ 
    //Address of n in square2() is the same as n2 in main() 
    cout << "address of n2 in square2(): " << n << "\n"; 
      
    // Explicit de-referencing to get the value pointed-to 
    *n *= *n; 
} 

//Pass-by-Reference with Reference Arguments 
void square3(int &n) 
{ 
    //Address of n in square3() is the same as n3 in main() 
    cout << "address of n3 in square3(): " << &n << "\n"; 
      
    // Implicit de-referencing (without '*') 
    n *= n; 
} 

int main() 
{ 
    //Call-by-Value 
    int n1=8; 
    cout << "address of n1 in main(): " << &n1 << "\n"; 
    cout << "Square of n1: " << square1(n1) << "\n"; 
    cout << "No change in n1: " << n1 << "\n"; 
      
    //Call-by-Reference with Pointer Arguments 
    int n2=8; 
    cout << "address of n2 in main(): " << &n2 << "\n"; 
    square2(&n2); 
    cout << "Square of n2: " << n2 << "\n"; 
    cout << "Change reflected in n2: " << n2 << "\n"; 
      
    //Call-by-Reference with Reference Arguments 
    int n3=8; 
    cout << "address of n3 in main(): " << &n3 << "\n"; 
    square3(n3); 
    cout << "Square of n3: " << n3 << "\n"; 
    cout << "Change reflected in n3: " << n3 << "\n"; 
      
      return 0;
      
} 

Output
address of n1 in main(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a44
address of n1 in square1(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a2c
Square of n1: 64
No change in n1: 8
address of n2 in main(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a48
address of n2 in square2(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a48
Square of n2: 64
Change reflected in n2: 64
address of n3 in main(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a4c
address of n3 in square3(): 0x7ffcdb2b4a4c
Square of n3: 64
Change reflected in n3: 64

 

In C++, by default arguments are passed by value and the changes made in the called function will not reflect in the passed variable. The changes are made into a clone made by the called function.
If wish to modify the original copy directly (especially in passing huge object or array) and/or avoid the overhead of cloning, we use pass-by-reference. Pass-by-Reference with Reference Arguments does not require any clumsy syntax for referencing and dereferencing.

Adapted from:

"Pointers in C/C++ with Examples" by Abhirav Kariya, Geeks for Geeks is licensed under CC BY 4.0