C++ In a Nutshell

<memory>

The <memory> header declares function and class templates for allocating and using memory, such as the auto_ptr<> smart pointer, algorithms for working with uninitialized memory, and a standard allocator for use with the standard containers.

The auto_ptr class template provides a simple ownership model for working with pointers. It can be extremely useful for writing exception-safe code. On the other hand, copying an auto_ptr<> object does not produce an exact copy (ownership of the pointer is transferred), so auto_ptr<> objects cannot be stored in standard containers.

Several functions work with uninitialized memory, which can be helpful when implementing a container. For example, an implementation of vector must allocate an uninitialized array of objects and initialize elements of the array as they are needed. The uninitialized_ . . . functions can come in handy for that purpose.

The allocator class template manages memory allocation and deallocation and the construction and destruction of objects in the memory it manages. It is the default allocator for all the standard containers.