(C++) Smart pointer

A smart pointer is a container that manages a pointer.

Boost.Smart_ptr is the Boost smart pointer library.

List of smart pointers (incomplete)

• boost::scoped_ptr
• boost::shared_ptr
• boost::weak_ptr
• QPointer
• std::auto_ptr
• std::shared_ptr
• std::tr1::shared_ptr
• std::unique_ptr

Examples

• Smart pointers example 1: do the classes check for uninitialized pointers?
• Smart pointers example 2: reset smart pointers to nullptr

Advice

• Prefer to use smart pointers over "naked" new and delete [1-6]
• Prefer smart pointers to garbage collection [7]
• Polymorphic types must always be passed by reference or (smart) pointer [8]

References

1. Scott Meyers. Effective C++ (3rd edition). ISBN: 0-321-33487-6. Item 13: 'Use objects to manage resources'.
2. Scott Meyers. Effective C++ (3rd edition). ISBN: 0-321-33487-6. Item 17: 'Store newed objects in smart pointers in standalone statements'
3. Herb Sutter, Andrei Alexandrescu. C++ coding standards: 101 rules, guidelines, and best practices. 2005. ISBN: 0-32-111358-6. Chapter 13: 'Ensure resources are owned by objects. Use explicit RAII and smart pointers.
4. Bjarne Stroustrup. The C++ Programming Language (4th edition). 2013. ISBN: 978-0-321-56384-2. Page 19, 1.3.2 'Advice', item 3: 'Avoid 'naked' new and delete'
5. Bjarne Stroustrup. The C++ Programming Language (4th edition). 2013. ISBN: 978-0-321-56384-2. Chapter 11.6. Advice. page 303: '[4] Avoid "naked new" and "naked delete"'
6. Bjarne Stroustrup. The C++ Programming Language (4th edition). 2013. ISBN: 978-0-321-56384-2. Chapter 21.4. Advice. page 640: '[1] Use unique_ptr or shared_ptr to avoid forgetting to delete objects created using new'
7. Bjarne Stroustrup. A tour of C++. 2014. ISBN: 978-0-321-958310. Chapter 11.7.9, page 131: 'Prefer smart pointers to garbage collection'
8. Gottschling, Peter. Discovering Modern C++: An Intensive Course for Scientists, Engineers, and Programmers. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2015. Chapter 6.1.3: 'Polymorphic types must always be passed by reference or (smart) pointer!'