?? Understanding "Passing a Reference" in Dart ??

In Dart, when we pass an object to a function, we're not passing the object itself but rather a reference to that object. This is a crucial concept for developers to grasp, as it impacts how data is manipulated within your functions.

?? What Does This Mean?

Imagine you have a house ?? (the object) and an address ??? (the reference) that tells you where the house is. If you give someone the address, they can visit the house and make changes to it. But if they decide to change the address to point to a different house, your original address remains the same.???

In Code:

void modifyList(List<int> nums) {

nums[0] = 10; // Modify the first element

}

void main() {

List<int> myList = [1, 2, 3];

modifyList(myList);

print(myList); // Output: [10, 2, 3]

}

Here’s what’s happening:

• myList is a reference to a list [1, 2, 3].
• When passed to modify List, the function gets a reference to this list.
• Any changes made to the list inside the function reflect in the original list!

?? But What About Reassigning?

void reassignList(List<int> nums) {

nums = [4, 5, 6];

Reassigning to a new list

}

void main() {

List<int> myList = [1, 2, 3];

reassignList(myList);

print(myList); // Output: [1, 2, 3] }

In this case:

• The function reassigns the reference to a new list, but this doesn’t change the original myList. Why? Because only the local reference was changed, not the original one outside the function.

?? Key Takeaway: When you pass objects in Dart, you’re passing a reference. You can modify the object via this reference, but reassigning the reference won’t impact the original variable outside the function.

Happy coding! ??? #Dart #Programming #SoftwareDevelopment #Learning #CodingTips