Pointers are not required for general purpose programming. In modern
languages like Java there is no support for pointers (Java
internally uses pointers). Pointers make
the programs messy and programs using pointers are very hard to read.
Avoid using pointers as much as possible and use references. Pointers are really a
great pain. It is possible to write an application without using pointers.
You should pointers only in those cases where references will not work.
A reference is an alias; when you create a reference, you initialize
it with the name of another object, the target. From the moment on, the reference
acts as an alternative name of the target, and anything you do to the reference
is really done to the target.
Syntax of References: Declare a reference by writing the type, followed by
the reference operator (&), followed by the reference name. References
MUST be initialized at the time of creation.
For example -
int weight;
int & rweight = weight;
DOG aa;
DOG & rDogRef = aa;
Do's of references -
Do use references to create an alias to an object
Do initialize all references
Do use references for high efficiency and performance of program.
Do use const to protect references and pointers whenever possible.
Do not's of references -
IMPORTANT: Don't use references to NULL objects
Don't confuse the address of operator & with reference operator. The references
are used in the declarations section (see Syntax of References above).
Don't try to reassign a reference
Don't use pointers if references will work
Don't return a reference to a local object
Don't pass by reference if the item referred to may go out of scope
