godot-docs/classes/class_reference.rst

:github_url: hide

.. Generated automatically by doc/tools/makerst.py in Godot's source tree.
.. DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE, but the Reference.xml source instead.
.. The source is found in doc/classes or modules/<name>/doc_classes.

.. _class_Reference:

Reference
=========

**Inherits:** :ref:`Object<class_Object>`

**Inherited By:** :ref:`ARVRInterface<class_ARVRInterface>`, :ref:`AStar<class_AStar>`, :ref:`AnimationTrackEditPlugin<class_AnimationTrackEditPlugin>`, :ref:`AudioEffectInstance<class_AudioEffectInstance>`, :ref:`AudioStreamPlayback<class_AudioStreamPlayback>`, :ref:`ConfigFile<class_ConfigFile>`, :ref:`Directory<class_Directory>`, :ref:`EditorExportPlugin<class_EditorExportPlugin>`, :ref:`EditorImportPlugin<class_EditorImportPlugin>`, :ref:`EditorInspectorPlugin<class_EditorInspectorPlugin>`, :ref:`EditorResourceConversionPlugin<class_EditorResourceConversionPlugin>`, :ref:`EditorResourcePreviewGenerator<class_EditorResourcePreviewGenerator>`, :ref:`EditorSceneImporter<class_EditorSceneImporter>`, :ref:`EditorScenePostImport<class_EditorScenePostImport>`, :ref:`EditorScript<class_EditorScript>`, :ref:`EncodedObjectAsID<class_EncodedObjectAsID>`, :ref:`Expression<class_Expression>`, :ref:`File<class_File>`, :ref:`FuncRef<class_FuncRef>`, :ref:`GDNative<class_GDNative>`, :ref:`GDScriptFunctionState<class_GDScriptFunctionState>`, :ref:`GDScriptNativeClass<class_GDScriptNativeClass>`, :ref:`HTTPClient<class_HTTPClient>`, :ref:`JSONParseResult<class_JSONParseResult>`, :ref:`KinematicCollision<class_KinematicCollision>`, :ref:`KinematicCollision2D<class_KinematicCollision2D>`, :ref:`Marshalls<class_Marshalls>`, :ref:`MeshDataTool<class_MeshDataTool>`, :ref:`MultiplayerAPI<class_MultiplayerAPI>`, :ref:`Mutex<class_Mutex>`, :ref:`PCKPacker<class_PCKPacker>`, :ref:`PackedDataContainerRef<class_PackedDataContainerRef>`, :ref:`PacketPeer<class_PacketPeer>`, :ref:`Physics2DShapeQueryParameters<class_Physics2DShapeQueryParameters>`, :ref:`Physics2DShapeQueryResult<class_Physics2DShapeQueryResult>`, :ref:`Physics2DTestMotionResult<class_Physics2DTestMotionResult>`, :ref:`PhysicsShapeQueryParameters<class_PhysicsShapeQueryParameters>`, :ref:`PhysicsShapeQueryResult<class_PhysicsShapeQueryResult>`, :ref:`RandomNumberGenerator<class_RandomNumberGenerator>`, :ref:`RegEx<class_RegEx>`, :ref:`RegExMatch<class_RegExMatch>`, :ref:`Resource<class_Resource>`, :ref:`ResourceFormatLoader<class_ResourceFormatLoader>`, :ref:`ResourceFormatSaver<class_ResourceFormatSaver>`, :ref:`ResourceImporter<class_ResourceImporter>`, :ref:`ResourceInteractiveLoader<class_ResourceInteractiveLoader>`, :ref:`SceneState<class_SceneState>`, :ref:`SceneTreeTimer<class_SceneTreeTimer>`, :ref:`Semaphore<class_Semaphore>`, :ref:`SpatialGizmo<class_SpatialGizmo>`, :ref:`SpatialVelocityTracker<class_SpatialVelocityTracker>`, :ref:`StreamPeer<class_StreamPeer>`, :ref:`SurfaceTool<class_SurfaceTool>`, :ref:`TCP_Server<class_TCP_Server>`, :ref:`Thread<class_Thread>`, :ref:`TriangleMesh<class_TriangleMesh>`, :ref:`UPNP<class_UPNP>`, :ref:`UPNPDevice<class_UPNPDevice>`, :ref:`VisualScriptFunctionState<class_VisualScriptFunctionState>`, :ref:`WeakRef<class_WeakRef>`, :ref:`XMLParser<class_XMLParser>`

**Category:** Core

Brief Description
-----------------

Base class for reference-counted objects.

Methods
-------

+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`bool<class_bool>` | :ref:`init_ref<class_Reference_method_init_ref>` **(** **)**       |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`bool<class_bool>` | :ref:`reference<class_Reference_method_reference>` **(** **)**     |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+
| :ref:`bool<class_bool>` | :ref:`unreference<class_Reference_method_unreference>` **(** **)** |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+

Description
-----------

Base class for any object that keeps a reference count. :ref:`Resource<class_Resource>` and many other helper objects inherit this class.

References keep an internal reference counter so that they are automatically released when no longer in use, and only then. References therefore do not need to be freed manually with :ref:`Object.free<class_Object_method_free>`.

In the vast majority of use cases, instantiating and using :ref:`Reference<class_Reference>`-derived types is all you need to do. The methods provided in this class are only for advanced users, and can cause issues if misused.

Method Descriptions
-------------------

.. _class_Reference_method_init_ref:

- :ref:`bool<class_bool>` **init_ref** **(** **)**

Initializes the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing.

Returns whether the initialization was successful.

----

.. _class_Reference_method_reference:

- :ref:`bool<class_bool>` **reference** **(** **)**

Increments the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing.

Returns whether the increment was successful.

----

.. _class_Reference_method_unreference:

- :ref:`bool<class_bool>` **unreference** **(** **)**

Decrements the internal reference counter. Use this only if you really know what you are doing.

Returns whether the decrement was successful.