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pointer
Sign in to saveAlso known as *, ptr, pointer data type, C++ pointer, C pointer
type which stores memory addresses in a computer program
A pointer is a type of data in computer programs that stores the address of where information is kept in the computer's memory, rather than storing the information itself. Pointers matter because they allow programmers to efficiently access and manipulate data by referencing its location, and they're essential for features like dynamic memory management and creating complex data structures.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
I do consider assignment statements and pointer variables to be among computer science's "most valuable treasures."
— Donald Knuth, Structured Programming, with go to Statements
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “pointer” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.