When designing classes and interfaces, prefer passing lightweight objects by value rather than using raw pointers or converting smart pointers to raw pointers using `.get()`. This eliminates the risk of null dereferences and dangling pointer issues.
When designing classes and interfaces, prefer passing lightweight objects by value rather than using raw pointers or converting smart pointers to raw pointers using .get(). This eliminates the risk of null dereferences and dangling pointer issues.
For example, instead of:
// Risky approach with raw pointers
class Parser {
public:
std::string spriteURL;
std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Sprite>> sprites;
Sprite* getSprite() {
return sprites[0].get(); // Dangerous: consumer could hold onto this raw pointer
}
};
Prefer value semantics:
// Safer approach with value objects
class Parser {
public:
std::string spriteURL;
std::vector<Sprite> sprites; // Store as values
const Sprite& getSprite() { // Return reference with clear lifetime
return sprites[0];
}
// Or return by value if the object is lightweight
Sprite getSpriteCopy() {
return sprites[0];
}
};
When values aren’t suitable (e.g., for polymorphic types), use smart pointers consistently throughout the API rather than mixing smart and raw pointers. This approach prevents null reference exceptions and makes ownership semantics clearer in your codebase.
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