The difference between delete and delete[] in C++ [duplicate]

Answer 1

You have to use delete [] if you allocated memory on the heap with operator new[] (e.g. a dynamic array).

If you used operator new, you must use operator delete, without the square brackets.

It is not related to deleting a built-in type or a custom class.

Answer 2

If you have Effective C++ part 1 refer to Item #5: Use the same form in corresponding uses of new and delete.

Answer 3

Raymond Chen provides a detailed description of how scaler and vector delete works in his blog titled Mismatching scalar and vector new and delete.

Here's a link to the InformIT article that is mis-linked in the above article: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=30642

Answer 4

In addition, consider not using pointers if you don't really have to. e.g. char* can be replaced with std::string, and if your vertexesset member is not polymorphic, you can make it a member object. In this case, you wouldn't need delete at all

Answer 5

You delete [] when you newed an array type, and delete when you didn't. Examples:

typedef int int_array[10];

int* a = new int;
int* b = new int[10];
int* c = new int_array;

delete a;
delete[] b;
delete[] c; // this is a must! even if the new-line didn't use [].

Answer 6

delete and delete[] are not the same thing! Wikipedia explains this, if briefly. In short, delete [] invokes the destructor on every element in the allocated array, while delete assumes you have exactly one instance. You should allocate arrays with new foo[] and delete them with delete[]; for ordinary objects, use new and delete. Using delete[] on a non-array could lead to havoc.