allocateint

allocateint is a term used in some programming environments to denote a function or operation that reserves storage for integers. Depending on the API, it may allocate space for a single integer or for an array of integers. When used for an array, allocateint(n) typically returns a pointer or reference to the first element of a contiguous block of n integers, stored on the heap or a managed region.

Return value and error handling: The function usually returns a null or null-equivalent on failure. In languages with manual memory management, callers are responsible for freeing the allocated memory with an accompanying deallocate function or operator.

Initialization and semantics: Initialization rules vary; some implementations zero-initialize all elements, others leave elements uninitialized. The precise alignment and padding depend on the underlying system and language.

Usage example (pseudocode): ptr = allocateint(5); if ptr == null then handle_error; ptr[0] = 42; deallocateint(ptr);

Context and variations: In languages with automatic memory management, allocateint may be provided as part of a memory pool API or may be unnecessary if the language offers built-in dynamic arrays. In C, a similar outcome is obtained with malloc(sizeof(int)*n) or calloc(n, sizeof(int)).

See also: malloc, calloc, free, new, delete, memory allocation.