9/26/2016 DifferenceBetweenCallbyValueandReferenceinC

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Whatisthedifferencebetweencallbyvalueandcallby
referenceinClanguage?
DifferencebetweenCallby
ValueandCallbyReference
ExampleusingCallbyValue
ExampleusingCallby
Reference

There are two ways to pass

arguments/parameters to
functioncallscallbyvalueand
call by reference. The major
difference between call by value
andcallbyreferenceisthatincall
by value a copy of actual
argumentsispassedtorespective
formal arguments. While, in call by reference the location (address) of actual
arguments is passed to formal arguments, hence any change made to formal
argumentswillalsoreflectinactualarguments.

In C, all function arguments are passed "by value" because C does not support
referenceslikeC++andJavado.InC,thecallingandcalledfunctionsdonotshare
anymemorytheyhavetheirowncopyandthecalledfunctioncannotdirectlyalter
avariableinthecallingfunctionitcanonlyalteritsprivate,temporarycopy.

Thecallbyvalueschemeisanasset,however,notaliability.Itusuallyleadstomore
compact programs with fewer extraneous variables, because parameters can be
treatedasconvenientlyinitializedlocalvariablesinthecalledroutine.Yet,thereare
somecaseswhereweneedcallbyreference:

1.Thecalledfunctioncommunicatestothecallingfunctiononlythroughreturn
statementandreturnstatementcanonlysendonlyonevaluebacktothecalling
http://csfundamentals.com/techinterview/c/differencebetweencallbyvalueandcallbyreferenceinc.php 1/8
9/26/2016 DifferenceBetweenCallbyValueandReferenceinC

function.Iftherearemorethanonevaluewewant Adsby Google

toalter,callbyreferenceisrequired
CProgramming
2.Ifthesizeofdataislarge,copyingactual
argumentstoformalargumentscouldbeatime CFunctionPointer
consumingoperationandoccupiesmorememory.

Thecallbyvaluedoesnotaddressabovecases,henceweneedcallbyreference.To
achievecallbyreferencefunctionalityinClanguagethecallingfunctionprovidesthe
addressofthevariabletobeset(technicallyapointertothevariable),andthecalled
function declares the parameter to be a pointer and access the variable indirectly
throughit.Sincetheaddressoftheargumentispassedtothefunction,codewithin
thecalledfunctioncanchangethevalueoftheactualarguments.

WhilestudyingcallbyvalueandcallbyreferenceinCitisimportanttonotethatthe
storyisdifferentforarrays.Whenthenameofanarrayisusedasanargument,the
valuepassedtothefunctionisthelocationoraddressofthebeginningofthearray
there is no copying of array elements. By subscripting this value, the function can
accessandalteranyelementoftheactualarray.

DifferencebetweenCallbyValueandCallbyReference
Differencebetweencallbyvalueandcallbyreference
callbyvalue callbyreference

In call by value, a copy of actual In call by reference, the location

arguments is passed to formal (address) of actual arguments is passed
argumentsofthecalledfunctionandany to formal arguments of the called
changemadetotheformalargumentsin function. This means by accessing the
thecalledfunctionhavenoeffectonthe addresses of actual arguments we can
valuesofactualargumentsinthecalling alter them within from the called
function. function.

In call by value, actual arguments will Incallbyreference, alteration to actual

remain safe, they cannot be modified argumentsispossiblewithinfromcalled
accidentally. functionthereforethecodemusthandle
arguments carefully else you get
unexpectedresults.

ExampleusingCallbyValue Adsby Google

The classic example of wanting to modify the caller's CCode

memory is a swapByValue() function which exchanges
C++Program
two values. For C uses call by value, the following
versionofswap swapByValue() willnotwork...

#include<stdio.h>

http://csfundamentals.com/techinterview/c/differencebetweencallbyvalueandcallbyreferenceinc.php 2/8
9/26/2016 DifferenceBetweenCallbyValueandReferenceinC
voidswapByValue(int,int);/*Prototype*/

intmain()/*Mainfunction*/
{
intn1=10,n2=20;

/*actualargumentswillbeasitis*/
swapByValue(n1,n2);
printf("n1:%d,n2:%d\n",n1,n2);
}

voidswapByValue(inta,intb)
{
intt;
t=a;a=b;b=t;
}

OUTPUT
======
n1:10,n2:20

The swapByValue() doesnotaffectthearguments n1 and n2 inthecallingfunctionit

onlyoperateson a and b localto swapByValue() itself.Thisisagoodexampleofhow
localvariablesbehave.

ExampleusingCallbyReference
Incallbyreference,topassavariable n asareferenceparameter,theprogrammer
mustpassapointerto n insteadof n itself.Theformalparameterwillbeapointerto
thevalueofinterest.Thecallingfunctionwillneedtouse & tocomputethepointer
ofactualparameter.Thecalledfunctionwillneedtodereferencethepointerwith *
where appropriate to access the value of interest. Here is an example of a correct
swap swapByReference() function. So, now you got the difference between call by
valueandcallbyreference!

#include<stdio.h>

voidswapByReference(int*,int*);/*Prototype*/

intmain()/*Mainfunction*/
{
intn1=10,n2=20;

/*actualargumentswillbealtered*/
swapByReference(&n1,&n2);
printf("n1:%d,n2:%d\n",n1,n2);
}

voidswapByReference(int*a,int*b)
{
intt;
t=*a;*a=*b;*b=t;
}

OUTPUT
======
n1:20,n2:10

Hope you have enjoyed reading differences between call by value and call by

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9/26/2016 DifferenceBetweenCallbyValueandReferenceinC

referencemethodsofpassingparameterstofunctions Adsby Google

in C. Please do write us if you have any
CLanguage
suggestion/commentorcomeacrossanyerroronthis
page.Thanksforreading! CProgramSoftware

26Comments Sortby Oldest

Addacomment...

RituDadhwalNationalInstituteofTechnology,Hamirpur
thanksforaniceexample
LikeReply 6Oct5,201510:57am

KrishanKumarProjectLeadatOracle
welcomeRitu!
LikeReplyOct8,201510:12pm

RajsekharDhawaBeldaGangadharAcademy
It'sReallyNice.
LikeReplySep14,20167:52pm

AthikAhammadRoshanMyrelationshipdifferentatLoveFriendshipand
AttitudeswithGOD
itnice
LikeReply 2Nov7,201510:46pm

AdityaSingh12thatStudent
nicesir
.
LikeReply 1Dec8,20151:35pm

KumarVikashBCAatStudent(publication)
itisverytrue
http://csfundamentals.com/techinterview/c/differencebetweencallbyvalueandcallbyreferenceinc.php 4/8
9/26/2016 DifferenceBetweenCallbyValueandReferenceinC
itisverytrue
LikeReply 2Dec29,201510:59pm

KrishnaKumarEmbeddedSoftwareEngineeratTrinetra
gudexample..
LikeReply 1Jan3,20169:53pm

SnehasisDalal
yes,,,tyverymuch
LikeReply 1Feb8,201611:02pm

PrabhaKaranStudyingatStudying
thalada
LikeReply 1Feb25,201610:03pm

MajidGaddankeriWorksatStudent
cananyoneexplainhowtheactualargumentsalteredincallbyreference?
LikeReply 1Mar7,201611:25pm

AmanSinghNetajiSubhasInstituteofTechnology
Incallbyreferenceyouarepassingtheaddressoftheactualarguments.
sotheformalarguments(definedaspointers)aredirectlypointingtothe
samelocationwhereactualargumentsarestoredandanychangein
Calledfunctionwillaltertheactualarguments
LikeReplyMay22,201611:38am

ShashiKumarRevaInstituteofTechnologyandManagement
thanksalotithelpedalot.......
LikeReply 1Mar9,201612:39am

MuizzuddinAhmadTHEBURNatSMKSemenchu
voidmax_min(int&,int&)
incallbyrefrences,whatfunctionand(&)???
helpme
LikeReplyMar9,20167:14pm

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