returning const references/pointers from functions?

[Protoman]

When would you return a const reference/pointer from a function instead
of either the object itself, or a non constreference/pointer? And when
would you need to return a reference or pointer at all, instead of the
object itself?

[Ali Çehreli]

"Protoman" <Pr**********@g mail.com> wrote in message
news:11******** **************@ g44g2000cwa.goo glegroups.com.. .

When would you return a const reference/pointer from a function instead
of either the object itself,
I would return a const reference/pointer to avoid "premature pessimization"
but only if the object is alive even after the function returns.

If the object is non-copyable there is no other way than returning a
reference/pointer.
or a non constreference/pointer?
If the caller should be allowed to modify the object through the returned
reference/pointer.
And when
would you need to return a reference or pointer at all, instead of the
object itself?

You cannot return the object itself. You can either return a
reference/pointer to it, or you can return a copy of it.

When you need to work on a specific object, not a copy of it, you have to
return a reference/pointer.

Ali
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