What are the key differences in memory management between Python 2 and 3?

What are the key differences in memory management between Python 2 and 3?

Python 3 introduced several improvements in memory management compared to Python 2. One major change is the handling of strings. In Python 2, strings are ASCII by default, while in Python 3, they are Unicode. This affects how memory is allocated and managed for string objects.

How does garbage collection differ between the two versions?

In Python 2, garbage collection is primarily reference counting, with a cyclic garbage collector for circular references. Python 3 retains this but has improved the cyclic garbage collector, making it more efficient in reclaiming memory.

Are there any changes in memory usage for data structures?

Yes, Python 3 has optimized memory usage for certain data structures. For example, the memory footprint of dictionaries has been reduced, and the implementation of sets and frozensets has also been improved for better memory efficiency.

What about the performance impact of these changes?

The changes in memory management in Python 3 generally lead to better performance, especially in applications that handle large amounts of data. The optimizations help reduce memory overhead and improve the speed of memory allocation and deallocation.