Menu
So, I'd like to use smart pointers instead of raw and almost every topic on SO says about Boost library. But std has such things as std::auto_ptr and std::shared_ptr.
Why Boost? What is the difference?
It was a question not about difference of the implementation, but about reasons to use Boost pointers. I suppose, given answer, including date of answering and context, is reasonably useful. It helps to understand how Boost pointers were added to std.
294
shared_ptr is now part of the C++11 Standard, as std::shared_ptr . Starting with Boost release 1.53, shared_ptr can be used to hold a pointer to a dynamically allocated array. This is accomplished by using an array type ( T[] or T[N] ) as the template parameter.
In modern C++ programming, the Standard Library includes smart pointers, which are used to help ensure that programs are free of memory and resource leaks and are exception-safe.
Basically Boost did shared_ptr first. You may note that many of the new container classes in C++11 were in Boost long ago. I would expect this pattern to continue with the next revisions of the C++ standard, too. Boost supports older C++ compilers that don't talk C++11, which is a big benefit.
Incidentally, std::auto_ptr is deprecated in C++11, which brings in std::shared_ptr and std::unique_ptr instead, which are both significantly more useful.
57
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With
