Difference between [square brackets] and *asterisk

Question

If you write a C++ function like

void readEmStar( int *arrayOfInt )
{
}

vs a C++ function like:

void readEmSquare( int arrayOfInt[] )
{
}
         


        

Answer 1

C++ Standard 13.1.3

— Parameter declarations that differ only in a pointer * versus an array [] are equivalent. That is, the array declaration is adjusted to become a pointer declaration (8.3.5). Only the second and subsequent array dimensions are significant in parameter types (8.3.4). [Example:

 int f(char*);
 int f(char[]);  // same as f(char*);
 int f(char[7]);  // same as f(char*);
 int f(char[9]);  // same as f(char*);
 int g(char(*)[10]);
 int g(char[5][10]);  // same as g(char(*)[10]);
 int g(char[7][10]);  // same as g(char(*)[10]);
 int g(char(*)[20]);  // different from g(char(*)[10]);

—end example]