dangling pointer

<programming>

A reference that doesn't actually lead anywhere. In C and some other languages, a pointer that doesn't actually point at anything valid. Usually this happens because it formerly pointed to something that has moved or disappeared, e.g. a heap-allocated block which has been freed and reused.

Used as jargon in a generalisation of its technical meaning; for example, a local phone number for a person who has since moved is a dangling pointer.

This dictionary contains many dangling pointers - cross-references to non-existent entries, as explained in the Help page.

[Jargon File]

Last updated: 2014-09-20

Nearby terms:

daisywheel printer ♦ dancing frog ♦ dangling pointer ♦ DANTE ♦ DAP Fortran

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