Dangling Pointers and References

Learn about an important consideration when returning pointers and references from functions

Ryan McCombe
Updated
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Questions & Answers

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Safely Returning Pointers and References
How can I safely return a pointer or reference from a function without causing dangling pointers?
Tools for Detecting Dangling Pointers
Are there any tools or compiler flags that can help detect potential dangling pointer issues?
Explaining Dangling Pointers to Junior Developers
How do I explain the concept of dangling pointers to junior developers in my team?
Dangling Pointers in Other Programming Languages
How do other programming languages handle similar issues to dangling pointers?
Best Practices for Managing Object Lifetimes
What are some best practices for managing object lifetimes in complex C++ applications?
Dangling Pointers and RAII
How do dangling pointers relate to the RAII (Resource Acquisition Is Initialization) principle?
Design Patterns to Prevent Dangling Pointers
Are there any design patterns that help prevent dangling pointer issues?
Alternatives to Returning Pointers
What are some alternatives to returning pointers or references from functions?