What is reference counting in Python?

What is reference counting in Python?

Reference counting is a memory management technique used in Python to keep track of the number of references to an object.

How does it work in practice?

Every object in Python has an associated reference count. When a reference to an object is created, the count increases, and when it's deleted, the count decreases. If the count reaches zero, the object is deallocated.

Can you give me an example?

Sure! For instance, if you create a list and assign it to a variable, the reference count for that list is 1. If you assign it to another variable, the count becomes 2.

What happens if there are circular references?

Circular references can lead to memory leaks since the reference count may never reach zero. Python uses a garbage collector to handle such cases.