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2024 GATE Previous Year Question

BYJU'S GATE > GATE > Difference

Between > Difference Between Call by Value and

Call by Reference

Difference Between
Call by Value and Call
by Reference

In a programming language, one can invoke

functions in two ways: known as Cell by
Value and Call by Reference. The general
basis of differentiation in these two ways is
the type of values that passes through them
in the form of parameters.

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The parameters that pass to the functions

are known as actual parameters, and the
parameters that the functions receive are
known as formal parameters. Now before we
dig into the difference between call by value
and call by reference, let’s know a bit more
about these two.

Difference Between Call by Value and

Call by Reference PDF

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What is Call by Value?

In this particular parameter passing method,
the values of the actual parameters copy
into the function’s formal parameters. It
stores both types of parameters in different
memory locations. Thus, if one makes any
changes inside the function- it does not
show on the caller’s actual parameters.

This method passes a copy of an actual

argument to the formal argument of any
called function. In the case of a Call by Value
method, any changes or alteration made to
the formal arguments in a called function
does not affect the overall values of an
actual argument. Thus, all the actual
arguments stay safe, and no accidental
modification occurs to them.

What is Call by Reference?

In this case, both the formal and actual
parameters refer to a similar location. It
means that if one makes any changes inside
the function, it gets reflected in the caller’s
actual parameters.

This method passes the address or location

of the actual arguments to the formal
arguments of any called function. It means
that by accessing the actual argument’s
addresses, one can easily alter them from
within the called function. Thus, in Call by
Reference, it is possible to make alterations
to the actual arguments. Thus, the code
needs to handle the arguments very
carefully. Or else, there might be unexpected
results and accidental errors.

Difference Between Call by

Value and Call by Reference

P Call By Value Call By Reference

a
r
a
m
et
er

C In this case, the In this case, the

o parameter’s parameter’s
n value passes for reference passes
v invoking the for the function
e function. In the invocation.
nt case of calling a Whenever calling
io function, we pass a function, rather
n the values of than passing the
of variables directly variables’ values,
N to a function. we pass its
a Thus, it has its address instead
m name as Call by (location of
in Value. variables) to the
g function. Thus, it
has its name as
Call by Reference.

Ef It copies the Both the passed

fe value of a parameter and
ct passed the argument
s parameter into refer to a similar
of the function’s location. Thus,
C argument. Thus, any changes
h any changes occurring in any
a that occur in any argument inside
n argument inside the function also
g the function have reflects in the
e no reflection on passed
s the passed parameter.
parameter.

T The method of The method of

y Call by Value Call by Reference
p passes a copy of passes the
e the variable. variable itself.
of Here, the values Here, it copies the
P of all the address of the
a variables copy actual variables
ss into their in the calling
in corresponding function into the
g dummy dummy variables
variables, also called functions.
called functions.

M The memory The memory

e location referred location referred
m to by the actual to by the actual
or arguments and arguments and
y passed passed
L parameters of a parameters of a
o function are function are the
c different. same. Meaning, it
at Meaning, it creates the
io creates the formal and actual
n formal and arguments in the
( actual very same
R arguments in memory location.
ef different memory
er locations.
re
d
)

L Languages like Only the JAVA

a C++, C#. PHP, language
n Visual Basic NET, supports the Call
g etc., provide by Reference
u support to the method in
a Call by Value programming.
g and use it as
e their default
S method.
u
p
p
or
te
d

V In the Call by In the Call by

al Value method, Reference
u there is no method, there is a
e modification in modification in
M the original the original value.
o value.
di
fi
c
at
io
n

In In the case of In the case of Call

te Call by Value, by Reference,
rn when we pass when we pass the
al the value of the parameter’s
I parameter location
m during the calling reference/addres
pl of the function, it s, it copies and
e copies them to assigns them to
m the function’s the function’s
e actual local local argument.
nt argument. Thus, both the
at actual argument
io and passed
n parameters refer
to one similar
location.

M The values of the Defining the

et variables in a pointer variables
h Call by Value in a Call by
o method pass Reference
d using a method is a
of straightforward prerequisite for
P method or a storing the
a Simple address of all the
ss technique. variables.
in
g

M Using this Using this

a method, any method, one can
ni changes directly use the
p occurring to the addresses to
ul dummy access the actual
at variables in any variables. Thus,
io called function any user can
n have no effect on easily alter or
of the actual manipulate the
V variable’s values variables’ values
ar in the calling through the
ia function. Thus, function calls.
bl you cannot alter
e or manipulate
s the actual
variables’ values
using the
function calls.

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