Memory management: GC

• pros:
  • allows implicit memory allocation
    • allows mutable lists in the language, eg: l = [1,2]
  • favours data sharing, can be more efficient than hand-managed memory
• cons
  • can be slow
  • finalization time is unknown

• implementation

  • reference counting (incremental, but circular ref!)
  • mark & sweep (can be incremental)
  • copying
  • generational (mixed of copying and mark&sweep)

Notes: