C++ * vs [] as a function parameter

Question

What is the difference between:

void foo(item* list)
{
    cout << list[xxx].string;
}

and

void this(item list[])
{
    cout << list[xxx].string;
}

Assuming item is:

struct item
{
    char* string;
}

With the pointer pointing to the first of an array of chars

and list is just an array of items...

Answer 1

To the compiler, there is no difference.

It reads different though. [] suggests you want to pass an array to the function, whereas * could also mean just a simple pointer.

Note that arrays decay to pointers when passed as parameters (in case you didn't already know).