Deciphering the Const Keyword in Return Types, Function Parameters, and Member Functions

In the C code snippet:

const int* const Method3(const int* const&) const;

the term "const" appears multiple times, each with a specific meaning.

1. Const in Return Types (Const Pointer to Int Const)

The "const" at the beginning of the return type specifies that the method returns a pointer to a constant integer. This means the integer at the pointed memory location cannot be modified.

2. Const in Function Parameters (Const Reference to Const Pointer to Int)

The "const" on the second parameter indicates that the function receives a constant reference to a pointer to a constant integer. This means the function cannot modify the address of the pointer or the value of the integer pointed to.

3. Const After Member Functions (Const Member Function)

The "const" at the end of the function declaration marks the function as a constant member function of a class. This ensures that the function does not modify the class object's state when called.

Interpretation:

Combining these const modifiers, the function declaration reads as follows:

The function "Method3" is a member function of a class, denoted by the trailing "const." It takes a reference to a constant pointer to a constant integer as an argument. The function itself is also constant, meaning it does not modify the object's state. The function returns a constant pointer to a constant integer.