Systems Programming
Arena Memory Allocator Implementations
Implementation and analysis of multiple arena-based memory allocation strategies in C. This systems programming project explores different allocation approaches optimized for various performance characteristics and memory usage patterns.
Tech Stack
4 technologies used
COperating SystemsMemory ManagementSystems Programming
Key Features
- Free List allocator with first-fit and best-fit strategies
- Monotonic (bump) allocator for sequential allocation patterns
- Pool allocator for fixed-size object allocation
- Multipool allocator combining multiple pool sizes
- Buddy allocator for power-of-two sized allocations
- Empirical benchmarks comparing throughput and fragmentation
Challenges Solved
- Minimizing fragmentation while maintaining allocation speed
- Designing allocators that work well for specific usage patterns
- Balancing memory overhead of metadata vs allocation efficiency
Outcomes & Impact
- Deep understanding of memory management trade-offs
- Performance data showing optimal allocator selection criteria
- Clean, well-documented implementations for educational use