References are another variable type of C++ that act as an alias or short name to another variable.
A reference variable acts just like the original variable it is referencing.
References are declared by using an ampersand (&) between the reference type and the variable name.
Declaration
int distance = 5;
// normal integer
int &ref = distance;
// reference to distance
The ampersand in this context does not mean “address of”, it means “reference to”.
Use of reference
distance = 6;
// distance is now 6
ref = 7;
// distance is now 7
cout << distance; // prints 7
distance++;
cout << ref; // prints 8
Using the address-of operator on a reference returns the address of the value being referenced:
cout << &distance; // prints 0012FF7C
cout << &ref; // prints 0012FF7C
Const references
It is possible to declare a const reference. A const reference will not let you change the value it references: int distance = 5;
const int &ref = distance;
ref = 6; // illegal -- ref is const
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