Using std::span<> to "babysit" a heap-allocated array

span_babysitter.cpp

#include <cstddef>

#include <span>

std::span<int> allocate(std::size_t size) {
    int* storage = new int[size];
    return std::span<int>{storage, size};
}

void deallocate(std::span<int>& items) {
    delete[] items.data();
    items = {};
}

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    auto items = allocate(12);
    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < items.size(); i++) {
        std::cout << items[i] << " ";
        items[i] = i;
    }
    std::cout << std::endl;
    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < items.size(); i++) {
        std::cout << items[i] << " ";
    }
    std::cout << std::endl;
    deallocate(items);
    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < items.size(); i++) {
        std::cout << items[i] << " ";
    }
    std::cout << std::endl;
}