---
description: "Learn more about: Lvalue reference declarator: &"
title: "Lvalue reference declarator: &"
ms.date: "11/04/2016"
f1_keywords: ["&"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["reference operator", "& operator [C++], reference operator"]
ms.assetid: edf0513d-3dcc-4663-b276-1269795dda51
---
# Lvalue reference declarator: `&`

Holds the address of an object but behaves syntactically like an object.

## Syntax

*`lvalue-reference-type-id`*:\
&emsp;*`type-specifier-seq`* **`&`** *`attribute-specifier-seq`*<sub>opt</sub> *`ptr-abstract-declarator`*<sub>opt</sub>

## Remarks

You can think of an lvalue reference as another name for an object. An lvalue reference declaration consists of an optional list of specifiers followed by a reference declarator. A reference must be initialized and cannot be changed.

Any object whose address can be converted to a given pointer type can also be converted to the similar reference type. For example, any object whose address can be converted to type `char *` can also be converted to type `char &`.

Don't confuse reference declarations with use of the [address-of operator](../cpp/address-of-operator-amp.md). When the `&`*identifier* is preceded by a type, such as **`int`** or **`char`**, *identifier* is declared as a reference to the type. When `&`*identifier* is not preceded by a type, the usage is that of the address-of operator.

## Example

The following example demonstrates the reference declarator by declaring a `Person` object and a reference to that object. Because `rFriend` is a reference to `myFriend`, updating either variable changes the same object.

```cpp
// reference_declarator.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc
// Demonstrates the reference declarator.
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct Person
{
    char* Name;
    short Age;
};

int main()
{
   // Declare a Person object.
   Person myFriend;

   // Declare a reference to the Person object.
   Person& rFriend = myFriend;

   // Set the fields of the Person object.
   // Updating either variable changes the same object.
   myFriend.Name = "Bill";
   rFriend.Age = 40;

   // Print the fields of the Person object to the console.
   cout << rFriend.Name << " is " << myFriend.Age << endl;
}
```

```Output
Bill is 40
```

## See also

[References](../cpp/references-cpp.md)\
[Reference-type function arguments](../cpp/reference-type-function-arguments.md)\
[Reference-type function returns](../cpp/reference-type-function-returns.md)\
[References to pointers](../cpp/references-to-pointers.md)