What are pointers and arrays in C++?

Can you explain what pointers are in C++?

Sure! Pointers are variables that store the memory address of another variable. They are used for dynamic memory allocation and to manipulate data directly.

How do pointers relate to arrays?

In C++, arrays are closely related to pointers. The name of an array acts as a pointer to its first element, allowing you to access array elements using pointer arithmetic.

Can you give me an example of using pointers with arrays?

Absolutely! Here's a simple example:

int arr[] = {10, 20, 30};
int *ptr = arr; // ptr points to the first element of arr
cout << *ptr; // Outputs 10
ptr++; // Move to the next element
cout << *ptr; // Outputs 20

This shows how you can use a pointer to traverse an array.

What are some common mistakes when using pointers?

Common mistakes include dereferencing null or uninitialized pointers, forgetting to free dynamically allocated memory, and pointer arithmetic errors.