How do I use smart pointers in C++11 for memory management?

How do I use smart pointers in C++11 for memory management?

In C++11, you can use std::unique_ptr and std::shared_ptr for memory management. std::unique_ptr ensures that only one pointer owns the memory, while std::shared_ptr allows multiple pointers to share ownership.

Can you give me an example of using std::unique_ptr?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>

int main() {
    std::unique_ptr<int> ptr = std::make_unique<int>(10);
    std::cout << *ptr << std::endl; // Outputs: 10
    return 0;
}

What about std::shared_ptr? How does it work?

std::shared_ptr keeps track of how many pointers share ownership of the same memory. When the last shared_ptr pointing to the memory is destroyed, the memory is freed. Here's an example:

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>

int main() {
    std::shared_ptr<int> ptr1 = std::make_shared<int>(20);
    std::shared_ptr<int> ptr2 = ptr1; // Now both ptr1 and ptr2 share ownership
    std::cout << *ptr1 << ' ' << *ptr2 << std::endl; // Outputs: 20 20
    return 0;
}