r/ProgrammerHumor 2d ago

Meme bugIntroducedDebugging

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1.1k Upvotes

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43

u/PR8-E 2d ago

int* x = (int*) malloc(sizeof(int)); Since malloc returns void pointer you should parse it to type you use.

35

u/yjlom 2d ago

void * coerces to any pointer type. This is valid: int *x = malloc(sizeof(int));. This is also valid (in C23): auto x = (int *) malloc(sizeof(int));.

35

u/Mateorabi 2d ago

Get off my lawn with your newfangled auto keyword. 

8

u/ibevol 2d ago edited 2d ago

Cringe. It’s fine to use auto when the type is clear on the same line. In c++ the following is idiomatic:

auto ptr = std::make_unique<int>(42);

over specifying int twice

std::unique_ptr<int> ptr = std::make_unique<int>(42);

However, the following should not be considered idiomatic:

auto ptr = get_ambiguous_pointer();

It’s the same principle here.

1

u/yjlom 2d ago

The keyword ain't new, it's been used as a storage specifier since forever. What's new is overloading it for type inference.

5

u/Mateorabi 2d ago

Hey when you learned C in the 90s it’s “new”.  harumph. 

1

u/yjlom 2d ago

It's been there since the beginning, along with extern and static. You just don't tend to actually write it because it's the default inside functions and it doesn't make sense outside of them.