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FREE(3P)                   POSIX Programmer's Manual                  FREE(3P)

PROLOG
       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the  corresponding
       Linux  manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may
       not be implemented on Linux.
NAME
       free - free allocated memory
SYNOPSIS
       #include <stdlib.h>
       void free(void *ptr);

DESCRIPTION
       The free() function shall cause the space pointed to by ptr to be deal-
       located;  that  is,  made available for further allocation. If ptr is a
       null pointer, no action shall occur.  Otherwise, if the  argument  does
       not  match  a  pointer  earlier  returned  by  the  calloc(), malloc(),
       posix_memalign(),  realloc(), or   strdup()  function, or if the  space
       has  been deallocated by a call to free() or realloc(), the behavior is
       undefined.
       Any use of a pointer that refers to freed space  results  in  undefined
       behavior.
RETURN VALUE
       The free() function shall not return a value.
ERRORS
       No errors are defined.
       The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
       None.
APPLICATION USAGE
       There  is  now  no  requirement  for  the implementation to support the
       inclusion of <malloc.h>.
RATIONALE
       None.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.
SEE ALSO
       calloc(),  malloc(),  realloc(),  the  Base   Definitions   volume   of
       IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <stdlib.h>
COPYRIGHT
       Portions  of  this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       --  Portable  Operating  System  Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003  by  the  Institute  of
       Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The  Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
       is the referee document. The original Standard can be  obtained  online
       at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                  2003                             FREE(3P)