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Why Is `this` a Pointer and Not a Reference in C ?

Patricia Arquette

Nov 24, 2024 am 10:18 AM

Why Is `this` a Pointer and Not a Reference in C ?

Why is 'this' a Pointer and Not a Reference?

C programmers often encounter confusion regarding "this" being a pointer rather than a reference. This issue arises from historical design decisions and the language's gradual evolution.

Initially, C only featured pointers, not references. However, when operator overloading was introduced, references were deemed necessary for ensuring consistency.

While using references for "this" would eliminate the need for "&this" syntax, it would introduce complications with assignment operator calls, where "*this" would be required instead of "this."

Furthermore, C 's backward compatibility is paramount. Changing "this" from a pointer to a reference would necessitate significant code modifications, making it an impractical choice.

Thus, "this" remains a pointer in C to maintain compatibility with existing code and cater to the diverse needs of its user community.

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