Unique pointers can be used with templates for efficient and reliable dynamic memory management. You can use this combination to create generic classes, functions, and algorithms.

Generic classes

Generic classes with templated unique pointers are an excellent way to manage different kinds of resources without having to repeat code. For example, you can define a generic Container class as follows:

This class allows you to create Container objects for various data types, with the unique pointer automatically managing the memory for each type.

Generic functions

Using templates, you can also create generic functions that work with unique pointers.

The above function can be used with unique pointers of different types with guaranteed type safety and proper memory management. For example, it can be called as follows:

In the above code, we change the pointed value (of integer type) of the unique pointer from 42 to 100 using our generic function. The function can similarly be called for string, float, or double types.

Advantages of using unique pointers with templates

Writing templated code with unique pointers offers many benefits, including:

• Consistency and type safety: Templates foster consistent coding practices. When you use unique pointers with templates, you establish a standard approach to memory management and genericity across your codebase. This leads to a more predictable behavior and less memory related issues.
• Code reusability: Combining unique pointers with templates allows you to write generic code that works with different data types. This enables you to adhere to the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle.
• Automatic cleanup: Unique pointers automatically release the memory when they go out of scope. This simplifies memory management when working with templates.