There already exist several high quality smart pointer implementations for C++, most prominently the Boost pointer pantheon and Loki's SmartPtr. For a good comparison of smart pointer implementations and when their use is appropriate please read Herb Sutter's The New C++: Smart(er) Pointers. In contrast with the expansive features of other libraries, Yasper is a narrowly focused reference counting pointer. It corresponds closely with Boost's shared_ptr and Loki's RefCounted/AllowConversion policies. Yasper allows C++ programmers to forget about memory management without introducing the Boost's large dependencies or having to learn about Loki's complicated policy templates.

• small (contained in single header)
• simple (nothing fancy in the code, easy to understand)
• maximum compatibility (drop in replacement for dumb pointers)

The last point can be dangerous, since yasper permits risky (yet useful) actions (such as assignment to raw pointers and manual release) disallowed by other implementations. Be careful, only use those features if you know what you're doing!