What are the differences between garbage collection and manual memory management?

What are the differences between garbage collection and manual memory management?

Garbage collection is an automatic memory management process that reclaims memory, while manual memory management requires programmers to allocate and free memory explicitly.

Which one is better for performance?

It depends on the context. Manual memory management can offer better performance in resource-constrained environments, but it increases the risk of memory leaks and errors. Garbage collection simplifies memory management but can introduce overhead.

Can you give examples of languages that use each method?

Sure! Languages like Java and Python use garbage collection, while C and C++ typically rely on manual memory management.

What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Garbage collection simplifies development and reduces memory leaks, but can lead to unpredictable pauses. Manual management offers more control and efficiency but increases complexity and risk of errors.