Memory Manager

Technical Challenges to Solve

You will work with test programs and allocation pattern files for testing your memory manager. Download the files containing various allocation scenarios for comprehensive testing:

Dataset Schema

Before implementing the memory manager, make sure you understand these fundamental concepts:

typedef struct block_header {
    size_t size;           // Block size
    int is_free;           // 0 = in use, 1 = free
    struct block_header *next;
    struct block_header *prev;
    // Debug info
    const char *file;
    int line;
} block_header_t;

// Allocation strategies:
// First-fit: Use first block that fits
// Best-fit: Find smallest suitable block
// Worst-fit: Find largest block (reduces fragmentation)

void *my_malloc(size_t size) {
    block_header_t *block = find_free_block(size);
    if (block) {
        split_block_if_needed(block, size);
        block->is_free = 0;
        return (void*)(block + 1);
    }
    return request_more_memory(size);
}

// Align to 8 or 16 byte boundary
#define ALIGNMENT 16
#define ALIGN(size) \
    (((size) + (ALIGNMENT-1)) & ~(ALIGNMENT-1))

// Example: ALIGN(17) = 32 (next 16-byte boundary)
// Example: ALIGN(16) = 16 (already aligned)

typedef struct pool {
    size_t block_size;    // Size of each block
    size_t pool_size;     // Total pool capacity
    void *memory;         // Contiguous memory
    void *free_list;      // Stack of free blocks
} pool_t;

pool_t *pool_create(size_t block_size, size_t count);
void *pool_alloc(pool_t *pool);
void pool_free(pool_t *pool, void *ptr);

Your project must implement the following features. Focus on correctness first, then add bonus features.

Create a public GitHub repository with the exact name shown below:

Required Project Structure

Your project will be evaluated on the following criteria (500 points total):

Use this checklist to verify you have completed all requirements before submitting your project.

Encountering problems? Don't worry! Here are the most common issues students face and how to resolve them quickly.