Reference Types

The symbol "&" is interpreted as an address operator as well as AND operator. This operator is also used to declare a "reference variable". A reference is referred to an alias, serves as an alternative name for the object.

e.g.

                int ival  = 1024;

                int &rval  =  ival;  // rval is reference to ival

• A reference variable should be initialized at time of declaration itself.

e.g.

                int &iref;              // wrong

                int &iref  =  ival  //o.k.

• Once a reference has been made to a variable, it cannot be altered to refer to another variable.

e.g.

void main()

{

                  int num1  =  10, num2  =  200;

                  int &ref  =  num1;

  cout<< num1 << num2 << ref ;                //10,200,10;

  ref  =  num2;

  cout << num1 << num2 << ref ;               //200,200,200

                      }

It changes the contents of the original variable, which is not the desired action.