Cannot Initialize a By-Reference Variable with a Value

However, many online examples incorrectly demonstrate how to use it, leading to the "Cannot initialize a by-reference variable with a value" error.

For instance, let's look at a method using a ref return and a method call that causes an error:

// ref return method
public ref string GetMessage(int index)
{
    //...
    return ref messages[index];
}

// Incorrect method call
ref string msg = g.GetMessage(2);

This will result in the error: "Cannot initialize a by-reference variable with a value."

The correct approach is to include ref before the method call, like this:

// Correct method call
ref string msg = ref g.GetMessage(2);

By adding ref in the method call, you're telling the compiler that you intend to use the reference returned by the method. This resolves the error and allows proper usage of the "ref return" feature in C#.