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 you create a new reference to an object, the count increases, and when a reference is deleted, the count decreases.

What happens when the reference count reaches zero?

When the reference count of an object reaches zero, it means there are no references to it, and Python's garbage collector will reclaim the memory.

Are there any limitations to reference counting?

Yes, reference counting cannot handle circular references, where two or more objects reference each other, preventing their reference counts from reaching zero.