The scalable memory allocator is cleanly separate from the rest of Threading Building Blocks so that your choice of memory allocator for concurrent usage is independent of your choice of parallel algorithm and container templates.

Every memory allocator has its merits. The Threading Building Blocks scalable allocator is built for scalability and speed. In some situations, this comes at a cost of wasted virtual space. Specifically, it wastes a lot of space when allocating blocks in the 9K to 12K range. It is also not yet terribly sophisticated about paging issues.

Threading Building Blocks does not define malloc; if you want to replace malloc, it is up to you to provide one to fit your particular needs.