C++ - Pointers (Basics)

Overview

Estimated time: 40–60 minutes

Work with raw pointers: store addresses, dereference, and pass to functions for in-place modification.

Learning Objectives

• Create and dereference pointers safely.
• Use pointer parameters to modify caller data.

Examples

void inc(int* p){ if (p) ++*p; }
int main(){ int x=1; inc(&x); }

Common Pitfalls

• Dereferencing null or invalid pointers leads to undefined behavior.