Returning const reference for vectors

Asked Oct 19 '21 at 05:03

Active Oct 19 '21 at 05:07

Viewed 29 times

In C++

I have code like:

class Blah
{
...
};

typedef vector<Blah*> blahVec;

class Kuku
{
   blahVec _blahVecVar;
   blahVec& getBlahVec() { return _blahVecVar; } 
   blahVec getBlahVec() const { return _blahVecVar; }//Line in Concern

Should the Line in Concern be: const blahVec& getBlahVec() const { return _blahVecVar; } for returning by reference so that there is no copy of the vector or the previous line: blahVec getBlahVec() const { return _blahVecVar; } returns by reference?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Regards.

edited Oct 19 '21 at 05:07

alagner

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asked Oct 19 '21 at 05:03

Ranjit Eswaran

No, it returns by value, i.e. potentially copies the vector. See [this](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/20091046/what-should-a-c-getter-return) – alagner Oct 19 '21 at 05:07
Yes alagner, thanks a lot! – Ranjit Eswaran Oct 19 '21 at 05:09

Returning const reference for vectors

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