Editing Function pointer (section)

{{short description|Pointer that points to a function}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
A '''function pointer''', also called a '''subroutine pointer''' or '''procedure pointer''', is a [[pointer (computer programming)|pointer]] referencing executable code, rather than data. [[dereference operator|Dereferencing]] the function pointer yields the referenced [[subroutine|function]], which can be invoked and passed arguments just as in a normal function call. Such an invocation is also known as an "indirect" call, because the function is being invoked ''indirectly'' through a variable instead of ''directly'' through a fixed identifier or address.

Function pointers allow different code to be executed at runtime. They can also be passed to a function to enable [[callback (computer programming)|callbacks]].

Function pointers are supported by [[third-generation programming language|third-generation]] [[programming language]]s (such as [[PL/I]], [[COBOL]], [[Fortran]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esm.psu.edu/~ajm138/fortranexamples.html#ex1|title=Fortran Examples|author=Andrew J. Miller|access-date=2013-09-14}}</ref> [[dBASE]] dBL{{what|date=July 2024}}, and [[C (programming language)|C]]) and [[object-oriented programming]] languages (such as [[C++]], [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], and [[D (programming language)|D]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newty.de/fpt/intro.html#what|title=The Function Pointer Tutorials|publisher=logo|access-date=2011-04-13|quote=Function Pointers are pointers, i.e. variables, which point to the address of a function|archivedate=2011-05-16|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516153643/http://www.newty.de/fpt/intro.html#what|url-status=deviated}}</ref>