Automatic default destructor

• An automatic default destructor is added to your class if no other destructor is defined.
• The only action of the automatic default destructor is to call the default destructor of all member objects.
• A destructor should never be called directly. Instead, it is automatically called when the object’s memory is being reclaimed by the system
  • if the object is on the stack, when the function returns
  • if the object is on the heap, when delete is used

Custom destructor

• To add custom behavior to the end of line of the function, a custom destructor can be defined as:

  • A custom destructor is a member function
  • The function’s destructor is the name of the class, preceded by a tilde ~
  • All destructors have zero arguments and no return type

  Cube::~Cube();

A custom destructor is essential when an object allocates an external resource that must be closed or freed when the object is desteroyed.

Examples:

• Heap memory
• Open files
• Shared memory