C++ References

What are references in C++?

• Reference variables are aliases to other variables. Any changes to the original variable or the alias (reference variable) result in change to the same memory location.
• Reference variables must always be initialized.
• When pass by reference is done to functions unlike pass by value a new copy of the variable is not created. This is very useful when big objects are passed as class members.
• The other alternative is to use call by address using pointers. This involves de-referencing which may not look elegant and clean. References solve this problem.

Basic usage of reference variables

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() 
{
    int i = 100;
    int &j = i;

    cout << "i=" << i << endl;
    cout << "j=" << j << endl;

    j += 100;

    cout << "i=" << i << endl;
    cout << "j=" << j << endl;

    cout << "Address of i=" << &i << endl;
    cout << "Address of j=" << &j << endl;
}

OUTPUT:

i=100
j=100
i=200
j=200
Address of i=0012FF88
Address of j=0012FF88

Pass by references to functions

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Pass arguments by reference
static void MySwap(int& i, int &j) {
    int temp;
    temp = i;
    i = j;
    j = temp; 
}

int main() 
{
    int i = 10, j = 20;

    cout << i << " " << j << endl;
    MySwap(i,j);
    cout << i << " " << j << endl;
}

OUTPUT:

10 20
20 10