EN CSharp Keyword ref

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C#: ref

Handbook C# · Practical Guide

Passes or returns a reference to a variable; declares ref local, ref field, and ref struct. Lifetime rules do not allow you to return a reference to a local variable.

Simple example (Example.cs)

Save this example separately as Example.cs. Run it independently of the other examples on this page.

Example.cs:

// PROJECT-EXAMPLE
void Add(ref int value) { value += 2; }
int count = 3;
Add(ref count);
System.Console.WriteLine(count);

Result:

5

Syntax

Method(ref value) / ref int alias = ref value / ref struct Type

Example 1: simple form

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

public static class Program
{
    public static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        int number = 3;
        Values.Increment(ref number);
        Console.WriteLine(number);
    }
}
public static class Values { public static void Increment(ref int value) { value++; } }

Example 2: another practical form

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

public static class Program
{
    public static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        int[] values = [2, 4];
        ref int first = ref Arrays.First(values);
        first = 9;
        Console.WriteLine(values[0]);
    }
}
public static class Arrays { public static ref int First(int[] values) => ref values[0]; }

Example 3

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

public static class Program
{
    public static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        int left = 2, right = 4;
        ref int selected = ref (left > right ? ref left : ref right);
        selected += 10;
        Console.WriteLine($"{left}:{right}");
    }
}

Example 4

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

public static class Program
{
    public static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        int number = 3;
        Reference holder = new(ref number);
        holder.Value = 9;
        Console.WriteLine(number);
    }
}
public ref struct Reference { public ref int Value; public Reference(ref int value) { Value = ref value; } }

Official source: Microsoft Learn.