How do I implement custom allocators for game development?

Custom allocators can significantly improve memory management in game development by providing better performance and control over memory usage. These allocators allow developers to optimize memory allocation patterns specific to their game's requirements, reducing fragmentation and enhancing load times.

Implementing Custom Allocators in C++

A simple custom allocator can be constructed by creating a class that adheres to the C++ allocator model. Below is an example of how to implement a custom allocator in C++:

#include #include template class CustomAllocator { public: using value_type = T; CustomAllocator() = default; template CustomAllocator(const CustomAllocator&) {} T* allocate(std::size_t n) { if (n == 0) return nullptr; if (n > std::size_t(-1) / sizeof(T)) throw std::bad_alloc(); return static_cast(std::malloc(n * sizeof(T))); } void deallocate(T* p, std::size_t) { std::free(p); } }; template bool operator==(const CustomAllocator&, const CustomAllocator&) { return true; } template bool operator!=(const CustomAllocator&, const CustomAllocator&) { return false; }

The above code defines a simple custom allocator that uses `malloc` and `free` for memory allocation and deallocation. It can be tailored further to fit specific game development needs.


Custom Allocators Game Development Memory Management C++ Allocator Performance Optimization