Pointers and References
When it comes to the tricky parts of C++, pointers definitely make the list—but honestly, once we grasp the difference between an "address" and a "value," pointers aren't that scary. In this chapter, we will thoroughly explain pointers from the ground up, including pointer arithmetic and their close relationship with arrays. We will then introduce references as a safer "alias" mechanism. Finally, we will preview the concept of smart pointers, setting the expectation that "modern C++ doesn't need raw pointers."