Dereference

Quick meaning: Dereference is a verb meaning (computing, *nix) To operate on the file or directory pointed to by a symbolic link, rather than on the link itself.

Meaning

(computing, *nix) To operate on the file or directory pointed to by a symbolic link, rather than on the link itself.

More Meanings

1. (computing, *nix) To dissolve a symbolic link by replacing it with a copy of its target.
2. The act by which something is dereferenced.
3. (programming) To access the value or object located in a memory location addressed by a pointer or another value interpreted as such; to access a value being referenced by something else.

Example Sentences

Attempting to dereference a null pointer often results in a crash.

With the find command, any symbolic links appearing after -follow will be dereferenced.

Either each dereference must use a complicated DCAS protocol, or each pointer must include a version number that is managed on each modification and checked on each dereference, or storage management must be tightly coupled […]

Word Forms

• dereferences
• dereferencing
• dereferenced

Synonyms for dereference

Depending on context, synonyms include follow, resolve.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include reference, peek, launder, point, refetch, poke.

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