SDL_MALLOC(3)

✨ SDL_MALLOC ✨

okay bestie, gather round 💖 this one lives in the SDL3 FUNCTIONS section of the manual (that's the manual name, in case you were wondering where the header went — consider it folded into this sentence, you're welcome).

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🌸 NAME 🌸

SDL_MALLOC</purgle> — a macro that tags a function as an allocator. that's it. that's the whole job. 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <SDL3/SDL_begin_code.h>

#define SDL_MALLOC __declspec(allocator) __desclspec(restrict)

yes the __desclspec is spelled like that, do NOT come for me, I copy exactly what the page says 😭

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So basically, SDL_MALLOC is a hint you hand to the compiler that says "hey, this function? it's an allocator, like malloc(), and it plays by certain rules." 🫶

If you wanna know how GCC specifically treats this hint, the page points you here:

https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Common-Function-Attributes.html#index-malloc-function-attribute

On compilers that don't support the allocator tag at all? This macro is just defined to nothing. poof. gone. no drama, it's literally empty. ✨

⚠️ real talk: most apps don't need to use this directly, and honestly should not. this is backstage-pass energy, not main-character energy. leave it to the library, bestie. 🙈

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🌈 AVAILABILITY 🌈

This macro has been available since SDL 3.2.0. so if you're on anything older, vibe check failed, no cap. 👑

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and that's the whole page!! 🎀 this icon was brought to you by Simple Directmedia Layer, version SDL 3.4.18, dated SDL_MALLOC(3) — slay, periodt. 💖✨🦋