Pointers and Memory Management
10 Topics
1
Pointer Basics
Understanding pointers and addresses
Critical C++ concept
2
Pointer Arithmetic
Navigating memory with pointers — how pointer math works and when to use it
Low-level programming and array algorithms
3
Pointers and Arrays
The deep relationship between pointers and arrays in C++
Fundamental C++ memory model — array decay, pointer arithmetic, and sizeof are common interview questions
4
Dynamic Memory Allocation
new and delete operators — heap allocation in C++
Core C++ memory management — new/delete, double-free, dangling pointers, and why smart pointers exist
5
Memory Leaks
Detecting, understanding, and preventing memory leaks in C++
Critical production skill — detecting leaks with tools, understanding RAII, and demonstrating memory ownership clarity
6
Smart Pointers
unique_ptr, shared_ptr, weak_ptr
Modern C++ essential
7
RAII Pattern
Resource Acquisition Is Initialization — the core C++ resource management idiom
The most important C++ idiom — foundational to understanding smart pointers, lock_guard, and exception-safe code
8
Move Semantics
Rvalue references and std::move — transferring resources without copying
Core C++11 feature — the most commonly asked advanced topic: rvalue vs lvalue, move constructor, Rule of Five
9
Perfect Forwarding
std::forward and forwarding references — preserving value category through templates
Advanced template topic — understanding universal references, std::forward, and why factory functions need it
10
C++ Memory Model
Stack, heap, BSS, text segments — understanding how C++ programs use memory
System programming fundamentals — storage durations, memory layout, padding and alignment are classic interview questions