Hi~ I'm Anka!

1. Features of Smart Pointers#

Smart pointers are C++ standard library objects that manage dynamically allocated memory automatically.

2. When Would We Use Smart Pointers?#

Use smart pointers instead of raw pointers when:

• Managing dynamically allocated objects
• You want automatic lifetime management
• Writing exception-safe code
• Avoiding memory leaks and dangling pointers
• Sharing ownership between objects (e.g., graphs, trees)
• Following modern C++ best practices

📌 In modern C++, raw new and delete should be avoided in most application code.

3. Difference Between unique_ptr and shared_ptr#

1
#include <memory>
2

3
// unique_ptr
4
std::unique_ptr<int> p1 = std::make_unique<int>(10);
5
// std::unique_ptr<int> p2 = p1;  // ❌ error
6
std::unique_ptr<int> p3 = std::move(p1); // ✅ ownership transferred
7

8
// shared_ptr
9
std::shared_ptr<int> s1 = std::make_shared<int>(20);
10
std::shared_ptr<int> s2 = s1; // ✅ shared ownership

One-Line Exam Summary#

• Smart pointers automatically manage memory and prevent leaks.
• Use unique_ptr when there is one owner.
• Use shared_ptr when multiple owners need access to the same object.