Memory Allocation Strategies Compared

The default malloc is fine for most programs. But when you’re chasing microsecond latencies or building a game engine, the allocation strategy matters enormously.

Arena Allocators

Allocate linearly, free everything at once. Perfect for request-scoped work where all memory has the same lifetime.

Pool Allocators

Pre-allocate fixed-size blocks. Zero fragmentation, O(1) alloc and free. Ideal for objects that are created and destroyed frequently.