The Java Course provides a general introduction to programming in Java. It is based on A.B. Downey's book, How to Think Like a Computer Scientist. Click here for details.


Garbage collection

In Section 8.9 we talked about what happens when more than one variable refers to the same object. What happens when no variable refers to an object? For example:

    Point blank = new Point (3, 4);
    blank = null;

The first line creates a new Point object and makes blank refer to it. The second line changes blank so that instead of referring to the object, it refers to nothing (the null object).

If no one refers to an object, then no one can read or write any of its values, or invoke a method on it. In effect, it ceases to exist. We could keep the object in memory, but it would only waste space, so periodically as your program runs, the Java system looks for stranded objects and reclaims them, in a process called garbage collection. Later, the memory space occupied by the object will be available to be used as part of a new object.

You don't have to do anything to make garbage collection work, and in general you will not be aware of it.



Last Update: 2011-01-24