] Smart pointers are objects which store pointers to ] dynamically allocated (heap) objects. They behave much ] like built-in C pointers except that they automatically ] delete the object pointed to at the appropriate time. ] Smart pointers are particularly useful in the face of ] exceptions as they ensure proper destruction of ] dynamically allocated objects. They can also be used to ] keep track of dynamically allocated objects shared by ] multiple owners. ] ] Conceptually, smart pointers are seen as owning the ] object pointed to, and thus responsible for deletion of ] the object when it is no longer needed. Smart Pointers |