What is the difference between ByVal and ByRef parameters in VB.NET?

In VB.NET, ByVal and ByRef are two ways to pass parameters to a method or function.

ByVal Parameter

When you pass a parameter by value (ByVal), a copy of the variable is created and passed to the method. Any changes made to the parameter inside the method are not reflected back to the original variable outside the method.

ByRef Parameter

When you pass a parameter by reference (ByRef), the actual variable is passed to the method. Any changes made to the parameter inside the method are reflected back to the original variable outside the method.

It is important to note that using ByVal is more memory-efficient as only a copy of the variable is passed, while using ByRef can impact performance as the actual variable is passed.

Therefore, the key difference between ByVal and ByRef parameters in VB.NET is how changes to the parameter inside the method affect the original variable outside the method.