what is advantage of pointers over references in c++

Explain in details what is advantage of pointers over references in c++?

• Pointers can be reassigned while references cannot. Let us see below code
• pointer.cpp ( below code )

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {

	int a = 5;
	int b = 6;
	int *p = &a;
	cout << *p<<endl;
	// reassign
	p = &b;
	cout << *p<<endl;
	return 0;
}

The above program will compile successfully.

• refere.cpp

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
	int b = 5;
	int c = 4;
	int &a = b;
	b = c; // this not assignment
	cout << a << endl;
	a = 6;
	cout << b <<endl;

	cout << &a<<endl;
	cout << &b<<endl;
	return 0;
}
/*
output
4
6
0x7ffc1b0d4e90
0x7ffc1b0d4e90
*/

• From the output it is clear that a reference always point to referent b.
• We cannot do arithmetic operation on reference.

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
	int b = 5;
	int &a = b;
	a = a + 1;
	cout << b;
	return 0;
}

In the above program even if we increments the reference variable a using a = a + 1 , the value of a would not be incremented. Any operation on a would do effect on the variable b as reference variable a is referring to variable b.

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