Do int ref parameter get boxed?

Question

Say I have the following code:

void Main()
{
    int a = 5;
    f1(ref a);
}

public void f1(ref int a)
{
    if(a > 7) return;
    a++;
    f1(ref a);
    Co         


        

Answer 1

Your Console.WriteLine(a); will be executed after recursion is finished. Recursion is finished when value of int becomes 8. And to make it to 8 it has recursion for 3 times. So, after last it will print 8 and then pass control to recursion above which will print 8 again as variable referred has value became 8.

Also check ILDASM output

.method public hidebysig static void  f1(int32& a) cil managed
{
  // Code size       26 (0x1a)
  .maxstack  8
  IL_0000:  ldarg.0
  IL_0001:  ldind.i4
  IL_0002:  ldc.i4.7
  IL_0003:  ble.s      IL_0006
  IL_0005:  ret
  IL_0006:  ldarg.0
  **IL_0007:  dup**
  IL_0008:  ldind.i4
  IL_0009:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_000a:  add
  IL_000b:  stind.i4
  IL_000c:  ldarg.0
  IL_000d:  call       void ConsoleApplication1.Program::f1(int32&)
  IL_0012:  ldarg.0
  IL_0013:  ldind.i4
  IL_0014:  call       void [mscorlib]System.Console::WriteLine(int32)
  IL_0019:  ret
} // end of method Program::f1