Pointers are variables that store memory addresses. In memory management, pointers are the primary way to interact with the heap. They allow for manual control over memory, which is a key feature of C++.

Use pointers for dynamic resource management, building custom data structures (Lists, Trees), and passing large objects efficiently.

• Access/Dereference: $O(1)$
• Arithmetic: $O(1)$

cpp Standard
int x = 10;
int *p = &x; // x's address

std::cout << *p; // 10
*p = 20; // x becomes 20

• Wild Pointers: Pointers that are not initialized to anything (not even nullptr).
• Memory Leaks: Losing the address of heap-allocated memory before freeing it.
• Arithmetic Errors: Incrementing a pointer by 1 moves it by sizeof(type) bytes, not necessarily 1 byte.