Custom Smart Pointer System with Cycle Handling

A lightweight C++ implementation of SharedPtr and WeakPtr, built from scratch with a custom reference-counting ControlBlock.
The library demonstrates how modern C++ manages dynamic memory, ownership, and object lifetimes — including safe handling of cyclic references (e.g., parent–child scene graphs).

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✨ Features

• SharedPtr

  • Manual reference counting
  • Full Rule of Five support (copy/move ctor + copy/move assignment + destructor)
  • Const-correct dereference operators
  • get() accessor and explicit operator bool()
  • Automatic cleanup and controlled resource ownership

• WeakPtr

  • Non-owning references to SharedPtr-managed objects
  • expired() check + lock() for safe temporary access
  • Correct lifecycle behavior matching the semantics of std::weak_ptr

• Cycle-Safe Scene Graph

  • Children own parents via SharedPtr
  • Parents reference children via WeakPtr
  • Prevents reference cycles and memory leaks

• Modular Structure

  • SmartPtr.hpp – smart pointer system
  • Node.hpp – example object graph (scene tree)
  • main.cpp – demonstration of usage

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📁 Project Structure

/src SmartPtr.hpp # Custom SharedPtr, WeakPtr, and ControlBlock Node.hpp # Node type using custom smart pointers main.cpp # Example usage (scene graph)

yaml Copiază codul

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🧩 Example

SharedPtr<Node> root(new Node());
SharedPtr<Node> child(new Node());

root->children.push_back(child);
child->parent = root; // WeakPtr prevents strong reference cycle
🧪 Building
Compile using any modern C++ compiler supporting C++17 or newer:

bash
Copiază codul
g++ -std=c++20 -Wall -Wextra -pedantic main.cpp -o SmartPtrDemo
./SmartPtrDemo
🎓 Educational Purpose
This project is ideal for:

Learning how smart pointers are implemented internally

Understanding reference counting, weak references, and object lifetime

Interview preparation for modern C++ roles

Portfolio demonstration of memory management concepts

Exploring RAII, Rule of Five, and low-level resource control

📜 License
MIT License — free to study, use, or modify.

👤 Author
Created by Gabris —
C++ enthusiast focused on smart pointers, templates, and modern C++ design.