A Quick Overview on Memory Allocators

A Quick Overview on Memory Allocators

2026-07-21

This article mainly focuses on three popular general purpose allocators: glibc's ptmalloc2, jemalloc, and tcmalloc.

Understanding Memory Management: Stack vs. Heap

Memory management is a fundamental aspect of programming, influencing performance, security, and reliability. Broadly, there are two primary strategies: stack-based and heap-based memory allocation. Each has distinct characteristics, trade-offs, and use cases.