PHP pointers vs references -

in php, difference between using pointer such as:

function foo( $var ) {     $var = 3; }  $a = 0; foo( &$a );

and reference:

function foo( &$var ) {     $var = 3; }  $a = 0; foo( $a );

they both modify value of original variable, represented differently internally?

in php, there no pointers, references. examples demonstrate pass reference

the difference between code snippets in syntax, first syntax deprecated.

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