When is using the C# ref keyword ever a good idea?

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The Framework Design Guidelines (a book by Krzysztof Cwalina and Brad Abrams) recommend to avoid both ref and out parameters.

AVOID using out or ref parameters.

Using out or ref parameters requires experience with pointers, understanding how value types and reference types differ, and handling methods with multiple return values. Also, the difference between out and ref parameters is not widely understood. Framework architects designing for a general audience should not expect users to master working with out or ref parameters.

The Framework Design Guidelines cite the canonical Swap method as a valid exception:

void Swap<T>(ref T obj1, ref T obj2)
{
    T temp = obj1;
    obj1 = obj2;
    obj2 = temp;
}

but at the same time a comment remarks

Swap always comes up in these discussions, but I have not written code that actually needed a swap method since college. Unless you’ve got a very good reason, avoid out and ref altogether.

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