---
title: Introduction
framework: corefoundation
role: article
path: apple-archive/documentation/CoreFoundation/Conceptual/CFMemoryMgmt
---

# Introduction

Explains how to allocate and deallocate objects in Core Foundation.

## Organization of This Document

The following concepts and tasks discuss the built in support Core Foundation provides for managing the memory allocation and deallocation of objects:

- [Ownership Policy](Concepts/Ownership.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001148-CJBEJBHH) - [Core Foundation Object Lifecycle Management](Articles/lifecycle.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002439-SW1) - [Copy Functions](Concepts/CopyFunctions.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001149-CJBEJBHH) - [Allocators](Concepts/Allocators.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001146-CJBEJBHH)

If you need to customize your allocators then read:

- [Using Allocators in Creation Functions](Tasks/UsingAllocators.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001152-CJBEHAAG) - [Using the Allocator Context](Tasks/UsingAllocatorContext.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001153-CJBEHAAG) - [Creating Custom Allocators](Tasks/CustomAllocators.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001154-CJBEHAAG)

To find out more about byte ordering and swapping see:

- [Byte Ordering](Concepts/ByteOrdering.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001150-CJBEJBHH) - [Byte Swapping](Tasks/ByteSwapping.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001155-CJBEHAAG)

## See Also

The following may also be of interest:

- *[Core Foundation Design Concepts](../CFDesignConcepts/CFDesignConcepts.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000122i)* - *[Advanced Memory Management Programming Guide](../../../Cocoa/Conceptual/MemoryMgmt/Articles/MemoryMgmt.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/10000011i)*

[Next](Concepts/Allocators.html)

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