Should You Return `const` Values in C ?

Why Use Const Value Returns?

Problem:

Consider the following code snippet:

const Object myFunc() {
    return myObject;
}

What is the purpose of the const keyword here? While the Effective C Item 3 advocates its use, opinions vary.

Answer:

In the rare scenario where a non-const operation on an object could be performed before assignment, a const value return prevents accidental invocation of such an operation on a temporary.

However, this practice has become outdated. In C 11 and later, it is strongly recommended to return non-const values to fully utilize rvalue references, which are only valid for non-constant rvalues.

In essence, while reasons existed for using const value returns, they are no longer compelling in modern C .

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