What is a ~ in c++

The ~ in C++

In C++, the tilde (~) symbol is used as a prefix to denote a destructor. A destructor is a special member function of a class that is automatically called when an object of that class goes out of scope or is explicitly destroyed. The destructor is responsible for releasing any resources that the object may have acquired during its lifetime, such as dynamically allocated memory or open file handles.

Here is an example of a destructor in C++:

class MyClass {
public:
  // Constructor
  MyClass() {
    // Constructor code
  }

  // Destructor
  ~MyClass() {
    // Destructor code
  }
};

int main() {
  // Create an object of MyClass
  MyClass obj;

  // Object goes out of scope, destructor is called automatically
  return 0;
}

In the example above, the MyClass has a constructor and a destructor. The constructor is called when an object of MyClass is created, and the destructor is called when the object goes out of scope.

It is important to note that the destructor is automatically generated by the compiler if it is not explicitly defined in the class. However, if the class manages any resources that require explicit cleanup, it is recommended to define a destructor to ensure proper resource management.

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