Pointers vs. References in API Design: When Should You Use Which?

When to Utilize Pointers vs. References in API Design

When designing APIs, the decision between employing pointers or references can be crucial for optimizing clarity and functionality. This article delves into the appropriate circumstances for using each type.

Prefer References

Generally, references are the preferred choice as they provide:

• Clear Semantics: References have value-like syntax but adhere to pointer semantics, indicating that the arguments are passed by reference.
• Safer Manipulations: References prevent undefined behavior caused by null pointer dereferences.
• Simplicity: References simplify code readability and comprehension.

Use Pointers When Necessary

Pointers are only recommended when unavoidable, such as:

• Returning Null: When a function may legitimately return a null pointer, a pointer is appropriate.
• Handling Raw Memory: Pointers are essential for direct memory manipulations.

Example:

In your example, using a pointer is unnecessary because:

• Passing a null pointer to the function would result in undefined behavior.
• The reference attribute version prevents passing a null pointer.
• The reference version clearly indicates that a valid object is required as the argument.

Performance Considerations

While references have a slight overhead compared to pointers, it is generally insignificant in most scenarios.

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