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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/refcount.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/refcount.txt | 17 |
1 files changed, 17 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/doc/refcount.txt b/doc/refcount.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e575142a --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/refcount.txt @@ -0,0 +1,17 @@ +Reference counting uses special words in functions to make it easy to remember +and follow the rules. + +Words that take ownership: new, find, load, open, keep. + +Words that release ownership: drop, free, close. + +If an object is returned by a function with one of the special words that take +ownership, you are responsible for freeing it by calling "drop" or "free", or +"close" before you return. You may pass ownership of an owned object by return +it only if you name the function using one of the special words. + +Any objects returned by functions that do not have any of these special words, +are borrowed and have a limited life time. Do not hold on to them past the +duration of the current function, or stow them away inside structs. If you need +to keep the object for longer than that, you have to either "keep" it or make +your own copy. |