Pretty sure C++ refs are just obfuscating syntax around pointers

f.cpp

// code for the screenshot in this tweet https://twitter.com/josh_cheek/status/1408853467150663680
#include "stdio.h"

void inc1(int& n) { ++ n; }
void inc2(int* n) { ++*n; }

int main(int argc, char** argv) {
  int a = 0, b=0;
  printf("a=%d, b=%d\n", a, b);
  inc1(a); inc2(&b);
  printf("a=%d, b=%d\n", a, b);
  inc1(a); inc2(&b);
  printf("a=%d, b=%d\n", a, b);
}