Answer
A memory leak occurs when allocated storage remains allocated but the program can no longer release or use it as intended. • C does not provide automatic garbage collection for malloc allocations. • Every successful allocation needs a clear ownership and release path. • Long-running leaks can increase resource use until allocation fails.
💡 C Example
int *value = malloc(sizeof *value);
if (value != NULL) {
*value = 10;
free(value);
}
⚡ Quick Revision
Prevent leaks by pairing successful allocations with clear ownership and cleanup.