C++ Coding Standards: 101 Rules, Guidelines, and Best Practices

25. Take parameters appropriately by value, (smart) pointer, or reference

Summary

Parameterize well: Distinguish among input, output, and input/output parameters, and between value and reference parameters. Take them appropriately.

Discussion

Choosing well among values, references, and pointers for parameters is good habit that maximizes both safety and efficiency.

Although efficiency should not be our primary up-front concern (see Item 8), neither should we write needlessly inefficient code when all other things, including clarity, are equal (see Item 9).

Prefer to follow these guidelines for choosing how to take parameters. For input-only parameters:

• Always const-qualify all pointers or references to input-only parameters.

• Prefer taking ...