How do I use const correctly in C++?

In C++, the `const` keyword is used to define constant values or to indicate that a variable's value will not be modified. This is particularly useful for improving the safety and readability of your code. By declaring variables as `const`, you can prevent accidental changes to them.

There are several common uses of `const`:

  • Constant Variables: You can use `const` to declare a variable whose value cannot change throughout its lifetime.
  • Constant Pointers: You can declare pointers as `const` to prevent the data they point to from being modified.
  • Constant Member Functions: In classes, you can declare member functions as `const` to indicate they do not modify the object state.

Here is an example demonstrating the use of `const` in different contexts:

const int CONSTANT_VALUE = 100; // Constant variable void exampleFunction(const int *ptr) { // Function that takes a pointer to a constant integer // *ptr = 200; // This would cause a compilation error std::cout << *ptr << std::endl; } class MyClass { public: void regularFunction() { // Modify member variables } void constFunction() { // Cannot modify member variables std::cout << "This is a const function" << std::endl; } };

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