Thread: returning by reference / value.

I suppose returning by value would be this:

Code:

int func(); // prototype
int x = func();

whereas returning by reference would be:

Code:

void func(int &x); //prototype
int n;
func(n);

This saves memory and some processing (moving of values) because rather than computing a value in func() and then copying that value into x, as in the first example, the second example computes the value straight into n, so no copying is required. This is more significant if the function requires an input of the same type, eg, if it calculated the square or something. In that case we'd have to alter example one:

Code:

int func(int x);

More copying.

Still, "far greater" depends on the context. What's important is that you understand the concept and know how to apply it. It does not have to be your #1 priority or anything (altho C/C++ tends to work this way naturally due to the syntax -- references and pointers are very common and almost impossible to not use).

I think MK27 raises a good point: what exactly do you mean by "returning by reference"? I would expect:

Code:

int& foo();

i.e., the return type of the function is a reference type. MK27's example, on the other hand, illustrates the use of a reference parameter as an in/out or out parameter. For what I expect, the choice between returning by value and returning by reference should not only be made on efficiency grounds. One must consider correctness, as it would be incorrect to return a reference to a local variable.