&

[jade ferry]

is there a way to do this reference trick

local function func(p)
  p.value += 1
end

local var = {value = 0}
func(var)
print(var.value)

[hoary path]

ye in older languages

however newer languages don't support ByRef parameters

you can just return the value of p, and set the var to that value

local function func(p)
  p.value += 1
  return p
end

local var = {value = 0}
var = func(var)
print(var.value)

[jade ferry]

that's ugly 😔

[vernal roost]

you don't need the var=func(var)

all tables pass by reference

local function func(p)
  p.value += 1
end

local var = {value = 0}
func(var)
print(var.value)```

[warm marsh]

Luau Compiler Results | Server #227

Requested by: @vernal roost```ansi
1

Compilation completed | 1.0820961630088277

[visual dirge]

wtf is func()

[vernal roost]

to answer your question more directly, you're already doing the reference trick. that's the only way.

all other base types get passed by value / copy

only things passed by reference I am aware of is tables, and userdata like instances (which are effectively just tables)

[jade ferry]

there's another way but it uses metatables and it looks more ugly

[vernal roost]

that's still a table being passed by reference

[jade ferry]

I mean it uses the meta features