Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day, Sixth Edition

Chapter 26. Understanding Smart Pointers

C++ programmers do not necessarily need to use plain pointer types when managing memory on the heap (or the free store); they can make use of a smarter option.

In this lesson, you will learn

• What smart pointers are and why you need them

• How smart pointers are implemented

• Different smart pointer types

• The C++ standard library–supplied smart pointer class auto_ptr

• Popular smart pointer libraries

What Are Smart Pointers?

Very simply said, a smart pointer in C++ is a class, with overloaded operators, which behaves like a conventional pointer yet supplies additional value by ensuring proper and timely destruction of dynamically allocated data and/or implementation of a well-defined object life-cycle management strategy. ...