In C++, references and pointers are both used to work with memory addresses and manipulate data. However, they have different characteristics and use cases.
Pointers:
A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable.
Pointers can be declared using the * symbol. For example, int* ptr; declares a pointer to an integer.
Pointers can be initialized to point to a specific variable or address.
Pointers can be reassigned to point to different variables or addresses.
They can be used for dynamic memory allocation, such as with new and delete.
Pointers can be null (i.e., not pointing to anything) or uninitialized.
Pointer arithmetic is allowed, which can be a source of bugs if not used carefully.
Dereferencing a pointer is done with the * operator, like *ptr, to access the value it points to.
Pointers can be used to implement data structures like linked lists, trees, and graphs
Pointers:
A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable.
Pointers can be declared using the * symbol. For example, int* ptr; declares a pointer to an integer.
Pointers can be initialized to point to a specific variable or address.
Pointers can be reassigned to point to different variables or addresses.
They can be used for dynamic memory allocation, such as with new and delete.
Pointers can be null (i.e., not pointing to anything) or uninitialized.
Pointer arithmetic is allowed, which can be a source of bugs if not used carefully.
Dereferencing a pointer is done with the * operator, like *ptr, to access the value it points to.
Pointers can be used to implement data structures like linked lists, trees, and graphs
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