Avoid memory allocation with std::function and member function

Unfortunately, allocators for std::function has been dropped in C++17.

Now the accepted solution to avoid dynamic allocations inside std::function is to use lambdas instead of std::bind. That does work, at least in GCC - it has enough static space to store the lambda in your case, but not enough space to store the binder object.

std::function<void()> func = [&cb]{ cb.Fire(); };
    // sizeof lambda is sizeof(MyCallBack*), which is small enough

As a general rule, with most implementations, and with a lambda which captures only a single pointer (or a reference), you will avoid dynamic allocations inside std::function with this technique (it is also generally better approach as other answer suggests).

Keep in mind, for that to work you need guarantee that this lambda will outlive the std::function. Obviously, it is not always possible, and sometime you have to capture state by (large) copy. If that happens, there is no way currently to eliminate dynamic allocations in functions, other than tinker with STL yourself (obviously, not recommended in general case, but could be done in some specific cases).


As an addendum to the already existent and correct answer, consider the following:

MyCallBack cb;
std::cerr << sizeof(std::bind(&MyCallBack::Fire, &cb)) << "\n";
auto a = [&] { cb.Fire(); };
std::cerr << sizeof(a);

This program prints 24 and 8 for me, with both gcc and clang. I don't exactly know what bind is doing here (my understanding is that it's a fantastically complicated beast), but as you can see, it's almost absurdly inefficient here compared to a lambda.

As it happens, std::function is guaranteed to not allocate if constructed from a function pointer, which is also one word in size. So constructing a std::function from this kind of lambda, which only needs to capture a pointer to an object and should also be one word, should in practice never allocate.


Many std::function implementations will avoid allocations and use space inside the function class itself rather than allocating if the callback it wraps is "small enough" and has trivial copying. However, the standard does not require this, only suggests it.

On g++, a non-trivial copy constructor on a function object, or data exceeding 16 bytes, is enough to cause it to allocate. But if your function object has no data and uses the builtin copy constructor, then std::function won't allocate. Also, if you use a function pointer or a member function pointer, it won't allocate.

While not directly part of your question, it is part of your example. Do not use std::bind. In virtually every case, a lambda is better: smaller, better inlining, can avoid allocations, better error messages, faster compiles, the list goes on. If you want to avoid allocations, you must also avoid bind.

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C++

Gcc