referenciadefiníció

A referenciadefiníció, often seen in programming and computer science contexts, describes a method of specifying a parameter or variable such that it is an alias for another variable. This means that when a function or operation is performed using a reference, it is not acting on a copy of the data, but directly on the original data. Changes made to the reference are therefore reflected in the original variable, and vice versa.

This concept contrasts with passing by value, where a copy of the data is made. If a parameter is passed by value, any modifications made within the function or operation will only affect the copy, leaving the original variable unchanged. References, on the other hand, offer a way to directly manipulate existing data without the overhead of copying, which can be particularly beneficial for large data structures or objects.

The implementation of referenciadefiníció varies across different programming languages. Some languages, like C++, explicitly use the ampersand symbol (&) to declare a reference parameter. Other languages might achieve similar functionality through different mechanisms, such as pointers in C or by default in some object-oriented languages where variables often hold references to objects rather than the objects themselves. Understanding referenciadefiníció is crucial for efficient memory management and for correctly predicting the behavior of code that manipulates data.