Why is the 'this' keyword not a reference type in C++

Answer 1

(probably not a complete answer) There is always the situation when an object needs to delete itself with the "dangerous"

delete this;

So it probably have to be a pointer.

M.

Answer 2

Because references weren't added to C++ until later. By then it was too late to change it.

Answer 3

See Stroustrup's Why is this not a reference

Because "this" was introduced into C++ (really into C with Classes) before references were added. Also, I chose "this" to follow Simula usage, rather than the (later) Smalltalk use of "self".