CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++pointersreference
Phi Truong
Phi Truong

Reputation: 111

C++ syntax for pointer and reference

I'm doing a searching for swapping two nodes of linked list and found out a block of code as follow:

void swapNode(call * &head, call * &first, call * &second) {
    // swap values, assuming the payload is an int:
    int tempValue = first->value;
    first->value = second->value;
    second->value = tempValue;
}

My question is what the meaning for put the ampersand after asterisk?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 76

Answers (1)

CS Pei
CS Pei

Reputation: 11047

Ampersand (&) here denotes reference. it is not the address operator.

This is the C++ way of being able to change the value of a passed-in pointer because C/C++ pass parameters by value. In C, you would use a double pointer to achieve the same.

Upvotes: 1

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