Pointers can be used for dynamic memory allocation from "summary" of C Programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan,Dennis Ritchie
Pointers can be used for dynamic memory allocation. When a program is running, the amount of memory it needs can sometimes be determined only during runtime. In such cases, we can allocate memory dynamically using pointers. This means that we can request memory from the system when needed, and free it when it is no longer needed. Dynamic memory allocation is done using the standard library functions malloc and free. The malloc function takes the number of bytes to allocate as an argument and returns a pointer to the allocated memory. This memory is not initialized, so it may contain garbage values. It is the programmer's responsibility to initialize the memory before using it. Once the memory is no longer needed, it should be freed using the free function. Failure to do so can lead to memory leaks, where memory that is no longer being used is not released back to the system. This can cause the program to use more memory than necessary and can lead to performance issues. Using pointers for dynamic memory allocation gives the programmer more control over memory usage. It allows for more efficient memory management, as memory can be allocated and freed as needed. However, it also requires careful handling to avoid memory leaks and other memory-related issues. By understanding how pointers can be used for dynamic memory allocation, programmers can write more efficient and robust programs.
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