Understanding Java Garbage Collection Algorithms: How They Work and Their Trade-offs

source: eginnovations.com

Memory management is one of the most important parts of any programming language. In Java, memory management happens automatically through a process called garbage collection. This article explains different garbage collection algorithms in Java, how they work, and what makes each one special.

What is Garbage Collection?

Before diving into the different algorithms, let’s understand what garbage collection is. In simple terms, garbage collection is a process that automatically finds and removes objects that are no longer being used by the program. This helps free up memory space so your program can keep running smoothly.

In Java, when we create objects, they are stored in an area of memory called the heap. The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is responsible for managing this heap memory and running garbage collection when needed.

public class Example {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Creating a new object
        String message = new String("Hello, World!");
        
        // Now the message variable refers to the String object
        
        // Let's change the reference
        message = new String("Goodbye, World!");
        
        // Now the first "Hello, World!" String object is no…