Difference Between *& and **& in C++

*& combines a pointer and a reference, allowing us to dereference a pointer and then immediately take a reference to the resulting value.

**& refers to a reference to a pointer to another pointer, allowing deep manipulation of pointer chains.

int* ptr = & value;

int**& ref = ptrPtr;

It is used to modify the address stored in a pointer or the pointer via itself, commonly used in dynamic and complex data manipulations.

It allows manipulation of the value pointed by the pointer, but not the address in the pointer.

It enables control over the address in a pointer and the value at that address, providing deeper manipulation capabilities.

It is commonly used in scenarios where the value needs to be changed without modifying the pointer itself, like function calls where values need to be updated.

It is commonly used in scenarios requiring reassignment or reallocation of memory structures, such as modifying linked lists or dynamic arrays.

It allows for direct modification of the data at the memory address pointed to, without affecting the pointer’s address.

It allows modification of the pointer’s address (i.e., where the pointer is pointing) and the data at the new address.