Benefits of using BOOST shared_array over shared_ptr

Question

I want to use BOOST Smart pointer for memory management in my application. But I'm not sure which smart pointer should I use for dynamically allocated array shared_ptr or shared_array.

According to the BOOST doc Starting with Boost release 1.53, shared_ptr can be used to hold a pointer to a dynamically allocated array.

So I'm just wondering now what purpose user should use shared_array instead of shared_ptr.

Why not `std::vector` for dynamic arrays and `std::unique_ptr` for objects? — Maxim Egorushkin, Sep 22 '14 at 09:55
I have a 3rd party library functions which are taking raw pointer as argument, so I can't use vector. — Hemant Gangwar, Sep 22 '14 at 10:46
`std::vector` has the same contiguous layout like a plain array. `std::vector::data()` and `&vec[0]` allow you to extract the pointer to that array. — Maxim Egorushkin, Sep 22 '14 at 11:22
True, but just curious is there any disadvantage to use `vector` over `share_ptr`. — Hemant Gangwar, Sep 22 '14 at 11:26
Quite to the contrary, `shared_ptr` should only ever be used as a last resort option. — Maxim Egorushkin, Sep 22 '14 at 11:58

score 12 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 07 '21 at 17:47

Before boost 1.53, boost::shared_ptr is to be used for a pointer to a single object.

After 1.53, since boost::shared_ptr can be used for array types, I think it's pretty much the same as boost::shared_array.

But for now I don't think it's a good idea to use array type in shared_ptr, because C++11's std::shared_ptr has a bit different behavior on array type compared to boost::shared_ptr.

See shared_ptr to an array : should it be used? as reference for the difference.

So if you want your code compatible with C++11 and use std::shared_ptr instead, you need to use it carefully. Because:

Code look like below gets compile error (you need a custom deleter), while boost's version is OK.

 std::shared_ptr<int[]> a(new int[5]); // Compile error

 // You need to write like below:
 std::shared_ptr<int> b(new int[5], std::default_delete<int[]>());

 boost::shared_ptr<int[]> c(new int[5]); // OK

However, if you write code like below, you are likely to get segment fault

 std::shared_ptr<T> a(new T[5]); // segment fault
 boost::shared_ptr<T> b(new T[5]); // segment fault

The syntax of shared_ptr in std and boost are different and not compatible.

Additional information: consider boost::ptr_vector, which is a pretty fast implementation for dynamic allocated objects in vector. Just FYI in case you want this feature.

thanks, I agree that to make it **C+11** compatible I should go either with custom **deleter** option or **boost shared_array** but I'm looking for any additional benefits which I'll get after using `shared_array` over `shared_ptr`. — Hemant Gangwar, Sep 22 '14 at 08:36
I don't know if any additional benefits exist for `shared_array`. And in the future C++ *may* introduce `shared_ptr`, then it will be compatible with boost. But above all, it's better to think if you really need `shared_array`, maybe a *scoped* array is enough to suits the need, the you can use `std::unique_ptr` instead. — Mine, Sep 22 '14 at 09:01

Benefits of using BOOST shared_array over shared_ptr

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