What are memory leaks?

[greenleaf800073]

Please reference title. I've been hearing a lot about this but I'm just a beginner...

[MrHutch]

It's when you allocate memory but don't release it.

#include <iostream>

int main( int argc, char* argv[] )
{
   int *myInt= new int(5); // Memory allocated here
   std::cout << "myInt is " << *myInt << std::endl;

   return 0;
}

What should be done...

#include <iostream>

int main( int argc, char* argv[] )
{
   int *myInt= new int(5); // Memory allocated here
   std::cout << "myInt is " << *myInt << std::endl;
   delete myInt;  // Memory released here

   return 0;
}

[ne555]

What really should be done

#include <iostream>

int main( int argc, char* argv[] )
{
   int myInt= 5;
   std::cout << "myInt is " << myInt << std::endl;

   return 0;
}

[MrHutch]

Generally agreed.

If you're constantly using the stack then worrying about memory leaks is pointless, though. I thought an example of freeing up allocated heap memory was the best way to go.

[greenleaf800073]

Oh, so use destructors and delete stuff

[greenleaf800073]

Or you get a memory leak?