1.\" Copyright (c) 1991 The Regents of the University of California. 2.\" All rights reserved. 3.\" 4.\" %sccs.include.redist.man% 5.\" 6.\" @(#)free.3 5.1 (Berkeley) 05/02/91 7.\" 8.Dd 9.Dt FREE 3 10.Os 11.Sh NAME 12.Nm free 13.Nd free up memory allocated with malloc, calloc or realloc 14.Sh SYNOPSIS 15.Fd #include <stdlib.h> 16.Ft void 17.Fn free "void *ptr" 18.Sh DESCRIPTION 19The 20.Fn free 21function causes the space pointed to by 22.Fa ptr 23to be deallocated, that is, made available 24for further allocation. 25If 26.Fa ptr 27is a null pointer, no action occurs. 28Otherwise, if the argument does not match a pointer earlier 29returned by the 30.Xr calloc , 31.Xr malloc , 32or 33.Xr realloc 34function, or if the space has been deallocated by a call to 35.Fn free 36or 37.Xr realloc , 38general havoc may occur. 39.Sh RETURN VALUES 40The 41.Fn free 42function returns no value. 43.Sh SEE ALSO 44.Xr calloc 3 , 45.Xr malloc 3 , 46.Xr realloc 3 47.Sh STANDARDS 48The 49.Fn free 50function conforms to 51.St -ansiC . 52