FAQ 14.01 How should pointer declarations be read?

Pointer declarations should be read right to left.

If Fred is some type, then

• Fred* is a pointer to a Fred (the * is pronounced "pointer to a").

• const Fred* is a pointer to a Fred that cannot be changed via that pointer.

• Fred* const is a const pointer to a Fred. The Fred object can be changed via the pointer, but the pointer itself cannot be changed.

• const Fred* const is a const pointer to a Fred that cannot be changed via that pointer.

References are similar: read them right to left.

• Fred& is a reference to a Fred (the & is pronounced "reference to a").

• const Fred& is a reference to a Fred that cannot be changed via that reference.

Note that Fred& const and const Fred& const are not included in the second list. This is because references are inherently immutable: you can never rebind the reference so that it refers to a different object.