A copy of an array is not produced when it is passed by reference. Instead, the function or method receives a reference to the initial array. As a result, any modifications made to the array in the function or method will have an impact on the initial array.
It can take a while to pass an array by value since it makes a duplicate of the original array in memory, especially when working with huge arrays. Nevertheless, passing an array via reference is more effective since it simply passes the memory location of the original array.
The function argument must be specified as a reference variable using the ‘&‘ symbol in order to pass an array by reference in C++. This eliminates the requirement for the function to return a value since any modifications made to the array within the function will also be applied to the initial array.
void modify_array(int (&arr)[3]) {
arr[0] = 5;
arr[1] = 6;
arr[2] = 7;
}
int main() {
int arr[3] = {1, 2, 3};
modify_array(arr);
std::cout << "Modified array: ";
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
std::cout << arr[i] << " ";
}
std::cout << std::endl;
return 0;
}
In the above code, the argument for the modify_array() function is a reference to an array of numbers. The modify_array() method changes the array items by giving them new values. In this instance, 5, 6, and 7 are set as the first three items of the array, accordingly.
An array of three integers is defined and initialized with the numbers 1, 2, and 3 in the main function. This array is then sent as an input to the modify_array() method. The modify_array() method alters the members of the original array since the array is passed by reference.
Output
Benefits of Passing an Array by Reference
1: Efficiency
Efficiency is one advantage of passing arrays by reference. A duplicate of the full array is created when an array is passed by value. This could consume a lot of memory and slow down the software. When arrays are passed by reference, the program uses less memory and runs more quickly.
2: Adaptability
Flexibility is another advantage of passing arrays by reference. When an array is passed by reference, the function or method can add, remove, or change the array’s elements. Because the function or method may be used to carry out various activities based on the program’s requirements, this gives programming additional flexibility.
There are a few important factors to consider when providing an array by reference in C++. First off, the ‘&‘ symbol is not required when passing an array name as a reference argument since an array name is effectively a pointer to the array’s first element. Second, the array’s size must be given when declaring a reference parameter for an array. Lastly, it is risky and advisable to avoid changing the size of an array inside of a function.
Conclusion
An important feature of C++ that enables more effective and adaptable programming is the ability to pass arrays by reference. Memory is conserved and the application runs more quickly by utilizing the reference to the original array. Moreover, the option to alter the initial array offers additional programming freedom. To guarantee appropriate execution, it is crucial to use the correct syntax and clearly state the array size in the function or method signature.
