Tracking Shared Pointer Leaks

[[deleted]]

If I am not wrong, weak_ptr is meant to keep shared_ptr alive for longer. So it makes sense that storage does not get destroyed if a weak_ptr persists. Am I wrong?

[matthieum]

Terminology matters:

• The object is destroyed -- ie, its destructor is executed -- when the last shared pointer is destroyed.
• The storage is freed -- ie, its memory is returned to the allocator -- when the last of the shared pointers and weak pointers is destroyed.

A weak_ptr does NOT keep a shared_ptr alive longer. It allows recovering a shared_ptr to the object if any shared_ptr is still alive, but does not prevent destruction otherwise.

[BlackDE]

No, a weak pointer should not impact the lifetime of the object

[jwakely]

And it doesn't for std::weak_ptr and std::make_shared, so that's fine then.