Core · Module 6 · Lesson 3 of 6
Virtual Destructors: Closing a Hierarchy Safely
Destroy derived objects through base pointers without leaks by declaring a virtual destructor, and trace the construction and destruction order it guarantees.
Pro — members onlyAbout 10 minutes
By the end you can
- Explain why a base needs a virtual destructor
- Predict destructor order for deletion through a base pointer
- Apply the virtual destructor rule to polymorphic bases
Builds on Virtual Functions and Dynamic Dispatch.
01 · A question first
You delete a Book through an Item pointer. The Book holds a cover image buffer and a loan history list. If only the Item part is destroyed, where do those members go, and which single declaration makes the full teardown run?
Make a guess before you read on.
02 · The idea
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What's inside
- Start with the missing line
- How safe teardown works
- Why the rule is strict
- What it costs and when to skip it
- Mistakes that still leak
- Analogy and a smart handle check
- Where this is used
03 · Practice
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