What is a dangling pointer in C++?

What is a dangling pointer in C++?

A dangling pointer in C++ is a pointer that does not point to a valid object or memory location. This usually happens when the object it points to has been deleted or deallocated.

Can you give me an example of how a dangling pointer occurs?

Sure! For instance, if you have a pointer that points to a dynamically allocated memory and you delete that memory, the pointer still holds the address of the deleted memory, making it a dangling pointer.

What problems can dangling pointers cause?

Dangling pointers can lead to undefined behavior, crashes, or data corruption if you try to access or modify the memory they point to.

How can I avoid creating dangling pointers?

To avoid dangling pointers, always set pointers to nullptr after deleting the memory they point to, and be cautious with object lifetimes.