---
title: Warning C26408
ms.date: 07/21/2017
f1_keywords: ["C26408", "NO_MALLOC_FREE"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["C26408"]
ms.assetid: 55b0706f-1107-41c1-8ad0-c9e1e86a3b8c
description: CppCoreCheck rule that enforces C++ Core Guidelines R.10
---
# Warning C26408

> Avoid `malloc()` and `free()`, prefer the `nothrow` version of `new` with `delete` (r.10)

This warning flags places where `malloc` or `free` is invoked explicitly in accordance to R.10: Avoid `malloc` and `free`. One potential fix for such warnings would be to use [std::make_unique](../standard-library/memory-functions.md#make_unique) to avoid explicit creation and destruction of objects. If such a fix isn't acceptable, operator [new and delete](../cpp/new-and-delete-operators.md) should be preferred. In some cases, if exceptions aren't welcome, `malloc` and `free` can be replaced with the nothrow version of operators `new` and `delete`.

## Remarks

- To detect `malloc()`, we check if a call invokes a global function named `malloc` or `std::malloc`. The function must return a pointer to **`void`** and accept one parameter of unsigned integral type.

- To detect `free()`, we check global functions named `free` or `std::free` that return no result and accept one parameter, which is a pointer to **`void`**.

Code analysis name: `NO_MALLOC_FREE`

## See also

[C++ Core Guidelines R.10](https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md#r10-avoid-malloc-and-free)

## Example

```cpp
#include <new>

struct myStruct {};

void function_malloc_free() {
    myStruct* ms = static_cast<myStruct*>(malloc(sizeof(myStruct))); // C26408
    free(ms); // C26408
}

void function_nothrow_new_delete() {
    myStruct* ms = new(std::nothrow) myStruct;
    operator delete (ms, std::nothrow);
}
```