Manual Memory Management vs. ARC for Cross-Platform Object Lifecycles

When developing cross-platform applications in RAD Studio for both desktop (Windows/macOS) and mobile (iOS/Android) targets, developers must navigate differing memory management models. Desktop targets rely on manual memory management, necessitating explicit Free or Dispose calls, typically wrapped in try..finally blocks to prevent leaks.

Mobile platforms historically utilize Automatic Reference Counting (ARC) to automate object lifecycles. While ARC reduces the risk of leaks, it introduces the possibility of retain cycles and non-deterministic destruction, often requiring the implementation of weak references to break circular dependencies.

The challenge arises when maintaining a shared codebase where the same object logic must operate under both models without introducing platform-specific memory corruption or leaks.

Technical Constraints

• Requirement for deterministic destruction on desktop.
• Prevention of retain cycles on mobile.
• Minimization of conditional compilation blocks for memory cleanup.

Which approach is more sustainable for long-term maintenance: implementing a unified wrapper that mimics ARC behavior on desktop, or utilizing strict conditional compilation to separate manual and automatic lifecycle management? What are the performance implications of simulating reference counting on desktop targets?