Reference related

Question

To create a reference to an object:
Test refTest = new Test();
as a reference to object Test, what really is this refTest:
1) refTest is a variable which carries the memory address of the Object Test
2) refTest is a handle which points to the object Test, but the real memory address of the Test is contained in a table where the handle relates to the memory address
3) It is neither 1) nor 2), but something else. If so, what is it?
Thanks

Answer 1

Java does not use the pointer, I really wonder the
real meaning of the reference and the difference from
the C++'s pointer.Assuming for the sake of argument that a Java implementation did use a pointer (possible just not what happens in practice) then the fundamental difference is:
The syntax.
What you can do with the pointer.
The second being the big one. All you can do with a pointer value in Java is create it (using the new operator) assign it (using the = operator), compare it (using the == operator) and dereference it (using the . operator).
In C++ on the other hand you can do all these things too (though the dereferencing operator is -> rather than .) but you can also perform arithmetic on it, cast it, and a bunch of other things.
They're very different languages.