[Solved] What does “const int&” do as a return type?

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In general, returning a reference avoids that the return value gets copied, and (if it is not const-qualified) gives you the opportunity to change the “original” value. A return type const T& is often used in conjunction with objects of class type, e.g. std::vector, where copying could result in (unwanted) overhead. In conjunction with elementary data types like int, however, passing back a const int& is likely to be more overhead than copying the raw int value.

Further, in your example, if you assign the result of type const int& to a non-reference type, e.g. int largest = max(...), the return value is “dereferenced” and assigned by value. So you can change the variable’s content as it is a copy of the const-referenced value. If you have a type const int&, and you assign it to a variable of type const int&, then you get a reference, yet the compiler will not allow you the change it’s contents.

So the only thing where passing back a reference to int would be without const, which will then allow you to alter the contents of the “origninal” value.
See the following code; Hope it helps a bit:

int& max(int a[], int length) {
    return a[3];
}

const int& maxConst(int a[], int length) {
    return a[3];
}

int main(){

    int array[] = {12, -54, 0, 123, 63};

    int largest = max(array,5);
    cout<< "Largest element (value) is " << largest << endl;
    largest = 10;
    cout << "Element at pos 3 is: " << array[3] << endl;

    int largestConst = maxConst(array,5);
    cout<< "Largest element (value) is " << largestConst << endl;
    largestConst = 10;
    cout << "Element at pos 3 is: " << array[3] << endl;

    int &largestRef = max(array,5);
    cout<< "Largest element (ref) is " << largestRef << endl;
    largestRef = 10;
    cout << "Element at pos 3 is: " << array[3] << endl;

    const int &largestRefConst = maxConst(array,5);
    cout<< "Largest element (value) is " << largestRefConst << endl;
    // largestRefConst = 10;  // -> cannot assign to variable with const-qualified type
    //cout << "Element at pos 3 is: " << array[3] << endl;

    return 0;
}

Output:

Largest element (value) is 123
Element at pos 3 is: 123
Largest element (value) is 123
Element at pos 3 is: 123
Largest element (ref) is 123
Element at pos 3 is: 10
Largest element (value) is 10

solved What does “const int&” do as a return type?