Testing the Limits of Allocator Awareness

Explore the intricacies of allocator-aware containers in modern C++ through this comprehensive conference talk from C++Now 2017. Delve into the evolution of allocator requirements from C++03 to C++14, examining the implications for library users, implementors, and custom allocator designers. Learn about a suite of custom allocator components developed to test conformance and performance of library implementations across major C++ compilers (Clang/GCC/MSVC). Discover the design and implementation details of these allocator components and their use as policy types for a high-level allocator class template. Gain insights into the methodology for conformance and performance testing, and analyze the results to understand the practical impact of stateful allocation strategies and synthetic pointers on container performance. Benefit from the speaker's 24 years of C++ experience, primarily in medical imaging and analytics.