What is the difference between const int*, const int * const, and int const *?

Read it backwards (as driven by Clockwise/Spiral Rule):

• int* – pointer to int
• int const * – pointer to const int
• int * const – const pointer to int
• int const * const – const pointer to const int

Now the first const can be on either side of the type so:

• const int * == int const *
• const int * const == int const * const

If you want to go really crazy you can do things like this:

• int ** – pointer to pointer to int
• int ** const – a const pointer to a pointer to an int
• int * const * – a pointer to a const pointer to an int
• int const ** – a pointer to a pointer to a const int
• int * const * const – a const pointer to a const pointer to an int