MALLOC(3)                  POSIX Programmer's Manual                 MALLOC(3)



PPRROOLLOOGG
       This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The OS
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the corresponding
       OS manual page for details of OS behavior), or the interface may not be
       implemented on OS.

NNAAMMEE
       malloc -- a memory allocator

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       #include <stdlib.h>

       void *malloc(size_t _s_i_z_e);

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       The functionality described on this reference page is aligned with the
       ISO C standard. Any conflict between the requirements described here
       and the ISO C standard is unintentional. This volume of POSIX.1-2017
       defers to the ISO C standard.

       The _m_a_l_l_o_c() function shall allocate unused space for an object whose
       size in bytes is specified by _s_i_z_e and whose value is unspecified.

       The order and contiguity of storage allocated by successive calls to
       _m_a_l_l_o_c() is unspecified. The pointer returned if the allocation
       succeeds shall be suitably aligned so that it may be assigned to a
       pointer to any type of object and then used to access such an object in
       the space allocated (until the space is explicitly freed or
       reallocated). Each such allocation shall yield a pointer to an object
       disjoint from any other object. The pointer returned points to the
       start (lowest byte address) of the allocated space. If the space cannot
       be allocated, a null pointer shall be returned. If the size of the
       space requested is 0, the behavior is implementation-defined: either a
       null pointer shall be returned, or the behavior shall be as if the size
       were some non-zero value, except that the behavior is undefined if the
       returned pointer is used to access an object.

RREETTUURRNN VVAALLUUEE
       Upon successful completion with _s_i_z_e not equal to 0, _m_a_l_l_o_c() shall
       return a pointer to the allocated space. If _s_i_z_e is 0, either:

        *  A null pointer shall be returned and _e_r_r_n_o may be set to an
           implementation-defined value, or

        *  A pointer to the allocated space shall be returned. The application
           shall ensure that the pointer is not used to access an object.

       Otherwise, it shall return a null pointer and set _e_r_r_n_o to indicate the
       error.

EERRRROORRSS
       The _m_a_l_l_o_c() function shall fail if:

       EENNOOMMEEMM Insufficient storage space is available.

       _T_h_e _f_o_l_l_o_w_i_n_g _s_e_c_t_i_o_n_s _a_r_e _i_n_f_o_r_m_a_t_i_v_e_.

EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS
       None.

AAPPPPLLIICCAATTIIOONN UUSSAAGGEE
       None.

RRAATTIIOONNAALLEE
       None.

FFUUTTUURREE DDIIRREECCTTIIOONNSS
       None.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       _c_a_l_l_o_c(), _f_r_e_e(), _g_e_t_r_l_i_m_i_t(), _p_o_s_i_x___m_e_m_a_l_i_g_n(), _r_e_a_l_l_o_c()

       The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2017, <<ssttddlliibb..hh>>

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT
       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1-2017, Standard for Information Technology --
       Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 7, 2018 Edition, Copyright (C) 2018 by the
       Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open
       Group.  In the event of any discrepancy between this version and the
       original IEEE and The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The
       Open Group Standard is the referee document. The original Standard can
       be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

       Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page are
       most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the source
       files to man page format. To report such errors, see
       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .



IEEE/The Open Group                  2017                            MALLOC(3)
