Should I pass by reference or pointer?

The difference between pass-by-reference and pass-by-pointer is that pointers can be NULL or reassigned whereas references cannot. Use pass-by-pointer if NULL is a valid parameter value or if you want to reassign the pointer. Otherwise, use constant or non-constant references to pass arguments.

Is a reference the same as a pointer?

References are used to refer an existing variable in another name whereas pointers are used to store address of variable. References cannot have a null value assigned but pointer can. A reference variable can be referenced by pass by value whereas a pointer can be referenced by pass by reference.

What is return reference?

A C++ program can be made easier to read and maintain by using references rather than pointers. A C++ function can return a reference in a similar way as it returns a pointer. When a function returns a reference, it returns an implicit pointer to its return value.

Why are references better than pointers?

References are used to refer an existing variable in another name whereas pointers are used to store address of variable. References cannot have a null value assigned but pointer can. A reference variable can be referenced by pass by value whereas a pointer can be referenced but pass by reference.

Is it always better to pass by reference?

2) For passing large sized arguments: If an argument is large, passing by reference (or pointer) is more efficient because only an address is really passed, not the entire object.

What is the difference between pointers and references C++?

Differences between pointers and references in C++ A pointer in C++ is a variable that holds the memory address of another variable. A reference is an alias for an already existing variable. Once a reference is initialized to a variable, it cannot be changed to refer to another variable.

When should I use a pointer?

Uses of pointers:

  1. To pass arguments by reference.
  2. For accessing array elements.
  3. To return multiple values.
  4. Dynamic memory allocation.
  5. To implement data structures.
  6. To do system level programming where memory addresses are useful.

Why is return used?

A return statement ends the execution of a function, and returns control to the calling function. Execution resumes in the calling function at the point immediately following the call. A return statement can return a value to the calling function. For more information, see Return type.

What is the difference between pointers and references in C++?

Can reference be null?

References cannot be null, whereas pointers can; every reference refers to some object, although it may or may not be valid. Note that for this reason, containers of references are not allowed. References cannot be uninitialized.