Resource Acquisition Is Initialization
Resource Acquisition Is Initialization (RAII) is a programming idiom used primarily in C++ and other languages with deterministic object lifetimes. It ties resource management (like memory, file handles, or locks) to object lifetime, ensuring resources are acquired during object construction and released automatically during destruction. This prevents resource leaks and simplifies error handling by leveraging the language's scoping rules.
Developers should use RAII to manage resources safely and efficiently, especially in systems programming or performance-critical applications. It's essential for preventing memory leaks, avoiding deadlocks with mutexes, and ensuring proper cleanup in exception-heavy code, as it guarantees resource release even when errors occur. Common use cases include smart pointers (e.g., std::unique_ptr), file streams, and database connections in C++.