CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++implementation
EOG
EOG

Reputation: 1747

c++ - should destructior be declared/implemented in pointerless class?

Should destructior be declared/implemented in pointerless class? Is there any advantage of having/not having it ?

What I men is:

class Point
{
public: 
    int X, Y;
    Point(int x, int y);
    //~Point(void);       //should I uncoment it and implement empty destructor ?
}

Upvotes: 4

Views: 125

Answers (2)

Alok Save
Alok Save

Reputation: 206518

Should destructior be declared/implemented in pointerless class?

No need[conditions apply]. the compiler will generate one for you.
You should provide one only if you want to perform something specific, which the compiler will not.
For example:

  • Resource management(Memory managemnt, FIle handling),
  • Logging,
  • Close network connections,
  • In short custom functionality which needs to execute each time a object is destroyed

In general the thumb rule is:
"If you need to provide a copy constructor or a copy assignment operator then you most probably also need to provide your own destructor."
Popularly, this rule is known as the Rule of Three.

[conditions apply] If your class is meant to act as an Base class for Inheritance and your implementation will require calling delete on a Base class pointer pointing to a derived class object then you need to provide a destructor and mark it as virtual in Base class, failure to do so will result in Undefined Behavior.

Is there any advantage of having/not having it?

None, since the compiler does the same there is no need to do the extra typing.

Upvotes: 5

Luchian Grigore
Luchian Grigore

Reputation: 258578

No, you shouldn't have a non-virtual destructor if you're not managing resources.

If you expect to derive from the class and plan on polymorphic deletion (i.e. delete a derived object through a base class pointer), you need a virtual destructor.

In fact, you shouldn't be managing resources directly, but have wrappers - i.e. smart pointers instead of raw pointers & manual allocation/deallocation.

Upvotes: 2

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