Buddy Allocation System

What this buddy allocation interview question tests

This is an easy operating-systems question that probes your understanding of memory allocation strategies and their practical trade-offs. It focuses on a specific technique widely taught in systems courses and occasionally discussed in systems-oriented interviews.

Buddy allocation is a foundational concept in free-space management. To answer this well, you need to understand what problem it solves relative to simpler approaches, and what property of the algorithm makes it attractive for real allocators. The question rewards clear thinking about algorithmic efficiency and fragmentation rather than rote memorization.

• Fragmentation in heap allocation
• Splitting and coalescing strategies
• Trade-offs between allocation speed and memory waste