Pointers and Arrays in C++

Introduction

Pointers, arrays, and arithmetic pointers are fundamental concepts in programming, especially in languages like C and C++. Understanding their relationship is crucial for writing efficient and flexible code. In this article, we'll delve into the connections between pointers, arrays, and arithmetic pointers, exploring how they interact and contribute to the functionality of programs.

Pointers and Arrays

In C and C++, arrays and pointers are closely related. In fact, arrays are essentially a contiguous block of memory, with each element occupying a specific memory location. When you declare an array, you are essentially creating a pointer to the first element of that array.

For example:

int arr[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
int *ptr = arr; // ptr points to the first element of arr

In this example, ptr points to the first element of the array arr. This is possible because the name of the array arr itself acts as a pointer to its first element.