Reference Variables and Pointers

Reference Variables
• Reference variables are similar (not identical) to pointers
• A reference variable operates on another variable's memory address
• Unlike, a pointer, however, a reference variable has the same memory address as the variable it references. Consider the following code fragment:
  

  int x = 10;
  int &ref = x; // Defines ref as a reference to x
  ref = 100; // Changes the value of x to 100
  

  In this example ref and x have the same memory address. In other words, ref is an alias for x