Glossary coding Term Page
Smart Pointer
A Rust type that combines pointer behavior with ownership rules
Core Idea
A smart pointer is not just a raw address. It is a pointer-like type that carries ownership rules with it. In Rust, types such as Box<T>, Rc<T>, Arc<T>, and RefCell<T> each encode a different answer to "how should this data be owned and shared?"
Why It Matters Here
Mathbong uses smart pointers to explain heap data, shared ownership, runtime mutability, and the step from single-threaded to concurrent sharing. They are one of the clearest examples of Rust turning memory control into type design.