C++ Difference Between Const Reference to Non Const Object and Non Const Reference to Non Const Object

What is the purpose for the "const" keyword for a reference if the object it is referencing is not a const object? Is there any difference between what r1 and r2 does (below)?

int i = 42; // non const object
const int &r1 = i; // const reference to non const object

int j = 25; // non const object
int &r2 = j; // non const reference to non const object


Here's a quote from CPP Primer 5th:

"C++ programmers tend to abbreviate the phrase “reference to const” as
“const reference.” This abbreviation makes sense—if you remember that it
is an abbreviation.
Technically speaking, there are no const references. A reference is not an
object, so we cannot make a reference itself const. Indeed, because there
is no way to make a reference refer to a different object, in some sense all
references are const. Whether a reference refers to a const or nonconst
type affects what we can do with that reference, not whether we can alter
the binding of the reference itself."

I think this means that making a reference a "const" when it is referenced to a non const object does absolutely nothing. We may as well take that const keyword out when defining that reference.

Asking this question here for confirmation.

Edit: Looks like my initial conjecture is wrong. I understand now that a const reference to a non const object does have a purpose: to prevent the reference from modifying the object. The non const object can still be modified by other means but not by this const reference.

Thanks all.

5 Answers
5

"What is the purpose for the "const" keyword for a reference if the object it is referencing is not a const object?"
The purpose is to prevent that reference being used to modify the object it is referencing.

int i = 42; // non const object
const int &r1 = i; // const reference to non const object
r1 = 6 * 9; // error, r1 cannot be used to modify i;


To understand it better you can look into difference between const pointer and pointer to a const data:

int i, j;
const int *p1 = &i; // pointer to constant int
int *const p2 = &i; // constant pointer to int

*p1 = 0; // error, p1 points to const int
*p2 = 0; // it is fine sets i to 0

p1 = &j; // fine p1 now points to anbother int
p2 = &j; // error, p2 is a constant pointer


so now if we replace pointer to reference we can see similar things, except reference by itself is not changeable ie you cannot make reference to refer to another object after it is created (unlike non constant pointer) and any reference is like constant pointer. So const reference in this meaning does not make any sense and usually by const reference people mean reference to a const type. That what quote from primer means.

As for difference in your code, yes there is difference - you cannot change object through const reference does not matter if that reference points to const object or not.

There's a useful way to figure out what constness means in pointers and references, which is to read the declaration from right to left (see these answers). So const int &r1 can be read as "r1 is a reference to an int const".

const

const int &r1

r1

int const

Basically, r1 refers to an int which cannot be modified. This means that the referred-to int is either a const int, or it's a simple int. The binding of a const const reference to a non-const object (for example, when writing something like int i = 5; const int& r = i;) is perfectly legal because there's nothing wrong with not modifying a non-const object.

r1

int

int

const int

int

const

const

int i = 5; const int& r = i;

const

I think this means that making a reference a "const" when it is referenced to a non const object does absolutely nothing. We may as well take that const keyword out when defining that reference.

Not true.

You may not modify the a non-const object through a const reference.

You may modify a non-const object through a non-const reference.

const

const

const

const

Unless an object is created in the read-only section of a program, it is open for modifiction without adverse consequences. However, when you use a const reference to a non-const object, you are asking the compiler to not let you modify the object through that particular reference. It does not mean that you will not modify object.

const

const

It's similar to function arguments. When a function uses a const reference argument type, the function is promising to you that it will not modify the object. It does not mean that the object is not modifiable at all.

const

If we use const with variable then its value can not be change and when it is used with const reference then its reference can not be changed if we used it with object then whole data is used in object it can not be changed.

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