Difference Between Dot Operator and Arrow Operator in C++

In C++, both dot (.) and arrow (->) operators are used to access members of classes, structures, and unions. But they are used in different scenarios based on how the object is being accessed.

In this article, we will learn the differences and uses of these two operators in C++.

Dot Operator (.)

The dot(.) operator is used to access members (variables and functions) of a class, structure, or union when working with its object (not a pointer). It allows you to access and manipulate the object's properties by directly interacting with members of an object.

Syntax

Here is the following syntax for the dot operator in C++.

object_name.member_name;

object_name is the name of an object created from a class or struct.
member_name is the name of a member variable or function defined inside the class or struct.

Example

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Student {
public:
    string name;
    int age;
};

int main() {
    Student s;

    // using dot operator to assign value to the name member
    s.name = "Amit";  
    s.age = 25;             
    
    // using dot operator to access the name member
    cout << "Name: " << s.name << endl;    
    cout << "Age: " << s.age << endl;

    return 0;
}

Output

Name: Amit
Age: 25

The above code shows how the dot operator is used to access and manipulate the members of the Student class for the object 's'.

Arrow Operator (->)

The arrow (->) operator is used to access the members (variables and functions) of a class, structure, or union when working with a pointer to an object. It combines dereferencing the pointer and accessing the object's member. This is useful when working with dynamic memory and object pointers.

Syntax

Here is the following syntax for the arrow operator in C++.

pointer_name->member_name;

Example

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

class Student {
public:
    string name;
    int age;
};

int main() {
    Student* ptr = new Student(); 

    ptr->name = "Aman";           // accessing 'name' using arrow operator
    ptr->age = 24;                // accessing 'age' using arrow operator

    cout << "Name: " << ptr->name << endl;
    cout << "Age: " << ptr->age << endl;

    delete ptr;             
    return 0;
}

Output

Name: Aman
Age: 24

This code shows the use of the arrow operator (->) to access and modify the members (name and age) of the Student class through a pointer.

Difference between Dot (.) and Arrow (->) Operators

Here is the following comparison table for the dot and arrow operators in C++: