The C++ Programming Language, 4th Edition

7. Pointers, Arrays, and References

The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related that it is difficult to class them separately.

– Thomas Paine

• Introduction

• Pointers

void*; nullptr

• Arrays

Array Initializers; String Literals

• Pointers into Arrays

Navigating Arrays; Multidimensional Arrays; Passing Arrays

• Pointers and const

• Pointers and Ownership

• References

Lvalue References; Rvalue References; References to References; Pointers and References

• Advice

7.1. Introduction

This chapter deals with the basic language mechanisms for referring to memory. Obviously, we can refer to an object by name, but in C++ (most) objects “have identity.” That is, they reside at a specific address in memory, and an object can be accessed ...