Learning C++
  • Intermediate C++
  • Module 0: CodeBlock basics
  • Module 1: Pointer
  • Pointer - Introducing pointers
  • Pointer- The deference operator
  • Pointer - Reason for using pointers?
  • Reference types - Introducing
  • Refefence types - Using of reference
  • Reference types - How to differentiate "reference" with "address of a variable"
  • Managing Memory in C++ - Introducing
  • Managing Memory in C++ - Allocating memory
  • Managing Memory in C++ - Realeasing memory (Deallocation)
  • Managing Memory in C++ - Dynamic Memory Allocation
  • Managing Memory in C++ - Dynamic Memory Allocation with Classes
  • Self test 1
  • Lab instructions
  • Module 2
  • Introduction to Splitting Classes
  • Header files
  • Implementation files
Powered by GitBook
On this page

Was this helpful?

Reference types - How to differentiate "reference" with "address of a variable"

int num = 3;

int &refNum = num; // ampersand & is on the left hand side of the assignment
                   // this is reference to variable num
                   // is an alias to num 
                   // address of num and refNum should be the same when ouput
                   // cout << &refNum << and << &num
                   // any change in num (e.g num ++ ) will affect refNum and inversly,
                   // any change in refNum (e.g refNum++) will affect num

int *pNum = &num;  // ampersand & is on the right hand side of the assignment
                   // this is for taking the address of variable num

So how to differentiate in which case, & is used as an alias (reference) or to take the address of a variable? Let's have a look on the above code

PreviousRefefence types - Using of referenceNextManaging Memory in C++ - Introducing

Last updated 5 years ago

Was this helpful?