std::mem::type_info::Reference — Rust struct

What `Reference` does

Reference is a struct exposed by the std::mem::type_info module of the Rust standard library. It is part of the public, stable API and you can rely on it from any edition of Rust.

As a struct, Reference bundles related fields into a single named record with a known layout. Each field has a fixed type and offset, so the size of an instance is the sum of its field sizes plus alignment padding. Construction follows ordinary Rust ownership rules: each owned field must itself be constructed or moved before the struct is well-formed, and the compiler will refuse to leave any field uninitialised. The full canonical path is std::mem::type_info::Reference; bring it into scope with use std::mem::type_info::Reference; or refer to it by its full path.

When to use it

Reach for Reference whenever you need a value with the fields and methods documented for std::mem::type_info::Reference. Use a reference (`&Reference`) in function parameters by default; only take ownership when the function must consume or store the value.

Annotated examples

Constructing and using Reference

use std::mem::type_info::Reference;

fn demo() {
    // Construct a Reference value. The exact constructor depends on the type;
    // look for `new`, `default`, `from`, or `with_*` associated functions in
    // the documentation. For types with no public constructor, you typically
    // receive a Reference by calling another std function that returns one.
    let value: Reference = Default::default();

    // Most std structs implement Debug, so {:?} works for inspection.
    println!("{:?}", value);
}

The first thing you do with any new struct is figure out how to construct one — `new`, `default`, `from`, or returned from another function. The std::mem::type_info::Reference reference shows every available constructor.

For deeper background, see the canonical Rust patterns reference for the broader context behind this section.

Passing Reference into a function

use std::mem::type_info::Reference;

// Take Reference by reference when you only need to read it — this avoids
// any clone or move and lets the caller keep using their value.
fn observe(value: &Reference) {
    println!("{:?}", value);
}

// Take Reference by &mut when you need to mutate it in place.
fn update(value: &mut Reference) {
    *value = Default::default();
}

// Take Reference by value only when you need to consume it.
fn consume(value: Reference) -> Reference {
    value
}

The borrow / mutate / consume distinction is the most important Rust ergonomic to internalise. Default to `&Reference`, escalate to `&mut Reference` when you must mutate, and only take ownership when you must.

Common pitfalls

Avoid cloning a Reference unnecessarily — pass it by `&Reference` whenever read-only access is enough. If the struct holds heap allocations, every clone duplicates that memory. Hold no more than one `&mut` borrow at a time; the compiler will refuse to compile aliased mutable references.

For deeper background, see an in-depth Rust idioms cheat sheet for the broader context behind this section.

Performance & threading notes

Stack-allocated by default. Heap allocation only happens if a field is itself heap-allocated (Vec, String, Box). Cloning copies every field; for read access pass by reference. Send / Sync are automatically derived if every field is Send / Sync.

What Reference does