Question

Are pointers available in JavaScript?

I'm trying to understand if JavaScript supports pointers like in languages such as C or C++. I know JavaScript handles objects and arrays by reference, but I'm not sure if this is equivalent to having pointers. Could someone clarify whether JavaScript has pointers or a similar concept, and how references work in JavaScript?

Answer 1

No, there are no pointers in JavaScript.

JavaScript is a high-level programming language that abstracts away all memory management issues, such as pointers, which are ubiquitous in low-level languages like C and C++. Variables in JavaScript hold references to objects like arrays and objects. These references are not pointers in the same way that pointers are used in languages that handle memory on their own. JavaScript manages memory automatically through garbage collection. This means that coders don't have direct access to memory addresses and can't change pointers.

Key Points:

• Primitive types (for example, number, string, boolean) are passed by value.
• Objects (like arrays and objects) are passed as references, but these references are not pointers; they are managed by the JavaScript engine.
• JavaScript abstracts direct memory access and uses automatic memory management instead of allowing pointers to be directly manipulated.