| uintptr_t base; | |
| const uintptr_t height = 100000000; | |
| std::mt19937 rng; | |
| [[gnu::constructor]] void init_malloc() { | |
| base = (uintptr_t) sbrk(height); | |
| } | |
| void* malloc(size_t) { // parameter ignored, we don't need it | |
| return (void*)(base + rng() % height); // odds of any collision is like, low | |
| } | |
| void free(void*) {} // no-op |
I've been writing C++ for half a decade now, and auto has always been a great source of discomfort to me.
Whenever I came back to a past project that makes extensive use of it, I found myself confused,
and first had to look at all the types before I could make sense of it.
Similarly, I've worked as an intern at a company that had a AAA policy for its code base. Whenever something didn't work, and I had to debug some code, half the time was spent just looking up types.
Abstract: This document teaches you from the very basics to advanced features such as std::launder how pointers in C++ work.
It is aimed at developers of any skill level.
However, it links to the C++ standard so that advanced readers can verify the information and investigate further.
Motivation: Most tutorials on pointers are aimed at beginners, and present a simplified model. Some tutorials perpetuate an explanation of pointers that is solely based on their implementation (pointer = memory address). This tutorial aims to provide a comprehensive explanation of pointers that is in line with how they actually work from a language perspective.