What's the difference between the references and pointer?
the common:
they are used for indirect access to other objects.
the differences:
1.) a pointer is an object in itw own right. Pointers can be assigned and copied; a single pointer can pointer to several different objects over its lifetime.
2.) a pointer need not be initialized at the time it is defined. Like other built-in type, pointers defined at block scope have undefined value if they are not initialized.
TBD