What is the difference between finalizers and disposables?

What is the difference between finalizers and disposables?

Finalizers are methods that are called by the garbage collector before an object is reclaimed, while disposables implement the IDisposable interface to allow for deterministic resource management.

Can you give an example of when to use each?

Use finalizers for cleanup of unmanaged resources when the object is no longer in use, but be cautious as they can delay garbage collection. Use disposables when you want to explicitly release resources, like file handles or database connections, immediately after use.

Are there any performance implications of using finalizers?

Yes, finalizers can lead to performance overhead because they delay the garbage collection process and can increase memory usage if not managed properly.

What happens if I forget to call Dispose?

If you forget to call Dispose, the resources may not be released until the garbage collector finalizes the object, which can lead to resource leaks and increased memory usage.