Is malloc()ed storage freed upon program termination?

Article View: comp.std.c

Article #4035

#4035

From: Jim Hennessy
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 1995 00:00

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Does the C standard guarantee that storage allocated by malloc() is
freed during program termination?  If so, where?  I can't find it.
 
In other words, is it safe to exit the program without using free()
to deallocate storage which was allocated via malloc()?  I know most
operating systems free the storage, but I'm wondering if it's guaranteed,
and thus safe on any operating system.

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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!homer.alpha.net!earth!jimh
From: jimh@earth.execpc.com (Jim Hennessy)
Newsgroups: comp.std.c
Subject: Is malloc()ed storage freed upon program termination?
Date: 19 Sep 1995 00:00:13 GMT
Organization: Exec-PC -- (800)-EXECPC-1
Message-ID: <43l16d$3dp@homer.alpha.net>
Reply-To: jph@vnet.ibm.com (Jim Hennessy)
NNTP-Posting-Host: earth.execpc.com
Summary: Is it safe to acquire storage and never release it?
Keywords: malloc, program, process, termination, free
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