How can I change the variable to which a C++ reference refers?

Question

If I have this:

int a = 2;
int b = 4;
int &ref = a;

How can I make ref refer to b after this code?

Answer 1

It is impossible, as other answers state.

However, if you store your reference in a class or struct, you could re-create the whole thing using placement new, so the reference is re-bound. As @HolyBlackCat noted, don't forget to use std::launder to access the re-created object or use the pointer returned from the placement new. Consider my example:

#include 

struct A {
    A(int& ref) : ref(ref) {}
    // A reference stored as a field
    int& ref;    
};

int main() {
  int a = 42;
  int b = 43;

  // When instance is created, the reference is bound to a
  A ref_container(a);
  std::cout << 
    "&ref_container.ref = " << &ref_container.ref << std::endl <<
    "&a = " << &a << std::endl << std::endl;

  // Re-create the instance, and bind the reference to b
  A* new_ref_container = new(&ref_container) A(b);
  std::cout <<
    // &ref_container and new_ref_container are the same pointers
    "&ref_container = " << &ref_container << std::endl <<
    "new_ref_container = " << new_ref_container << std::endl <<
    "&new_ref_container.ref = " << &new_ref_container->ref << std::endl <<
    "&b = " << &b << std::endl << std::endl;

  return 0;
}

demo

The output is:

&ref_container.ref = 0x7ffdcb5f8c44
&a = 0x7ffdcb5f8c44

&ref_container = 0x7ffdcb5f8c38
new_ref_container = 0x7ffdcb5f8c38
&new_ref_container.ref = 0x7ffdcb5f8c40
&b = 0x7ffdcb5f8c40