What is Pointer (computer programming)?
In [[computer science]], a '''pointer''' is a [[variable]] whose value is a location in the computer's [[Computer memory|memory]].<ref>N. Datta, ''Computer Programming and Numerical Analysis'' (Hyderabad Universities Press, 2003), p. 465</ref> If Rick stands in a room and points to his friend Sally, then Rick is a pointer whose value is Sally's location. A programmer must ''dereference'' the pointer to retrieve the object it points to. Pointers do not take up much memory ([[Random-access memory|RAM]]). Copying a pointer to a large object is faster than copying the large object itself because only the location needs to be copied, instead of the whole object. == Uses of Pointers == Pointers are used in [[Data structure#Linked lists|linked lists]]. Each [[Record (computer science)|record]] of a linked list has a pointer to the next record. These pointers [[wikt:chain#Verb|chain]] the records together. This means that the records in a linked list can be sorted and arranged by changing their pointers. == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Computer programming]] {{tech-stub}}