[section:ref Header <boost/core/ref.hpp>]

[section Introduction]

The Ref library is a small library that is useful for passing
references to function templates (algorithms) that would
usually take copies of their arguments. It defines the class
template `boost::reference_wrapper<T>`, two functions
`boost::ref` and `boost::cref` that return instances of
`boost::reference_wrapper<T>`, a function `boost::unwrap_ref`
that unwraps a `boost::reference_wrapper<T>` or returns a
reference to any other type of object, and the two traits
classes `boost::is_reference_wrapper<T>` and
`boost::unwrap_reference<T>`.

The purpose of `boost::reference_wrapper<T>` is to contain a
reference to an object of type `T`. It is primarily used to
"feed" references to function templates (algorithms) that take
their parameter by value.

To support this usage, `boost::reference_wrapper<T>` provides
an implicit conversion to `T&`. This usually allows the
function templates to work on references unmodified.

`boost::reference_wrapper<T>` is both CopyConstructible and
Assignable (ordinary references are not Assignable).

The `expression boost::ref(x)` returns a
`boost::reference_wrapper<X>(x)` where `X` is the type of `x`.
Similarly, `boost::cref(x)` returns a
`boost::reference_wrapper<X const>(x)`.

The expression `boost::unwrap_ref(x)` returns a
`boost::unwrap_reference<X>::type&` where `X` is the type of
`x`.

The expression `boost::is_reference_wrapper<T>::value` is
`true` if `T` is a `reference_wrapper`, and `false` otherwise.

The type-expression `boost::unwrap_reference<T>::type` is
`T::type` if `T` is a `reference_wrapper`, `T` otherwise.

[endsect]

[xinclude ref_reference.xml]

[section Acknowledgments]

`ref` and `cref` were originally part of the Tuple library by
Jaakko J\u00E4rvi. They were "promoted to `boost::` status" by
Peter Dimov because they are generally useful. Douglas Gregor
and Dave Abrahams contributed `is_reference_wrapper` and
`unwrap_reference`. Frank Mori Hess and Ronald Garcia
contributed `boost::unwrap_ref`.

[endsect]

[endsect]