What is the difference between auto-closeable and finalize in Java?

What is the difference between auto-closeable and finalize in Java?

The main difference is that AutoCloseable is an interface that allows resources to be closed automatically, while finalize is a method that is called by the garbage collector before an object is removed from memory.

Can you give an example of how to use AutoCloseable?

Sure! You can use it in a try-with-resources statement like this:

try (BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader("file.txt"))) {
    // Use the BufferedReader
} // Automatically closes the reader

Is finalize still recommended for resource management?

No, it's generally discouraged because you can't predict when finalize will be called, leading to resource leaks. AutoCloseable is preferred.

What happens if I don't close resources?

If you don't close resources, it can lead to memory leaks and exhaustion of system resources, which can degrade performance.