What is the difference between strong and weak references in programming?

What is the difference between strong and weak references in programming?

Strong references prevent the referenced object from being garbage collected, while weak references allow it to be collected.

Can you give me an example of when to use a weak reference?

Sure! Weak references are useful in caching scenarios where you want to allow objects to be collected if memory is needed.

What happens if I only use weak references?

If you only use weak references, the objects may be collected at any time, leading to potential NullPointerExceptions if accessed.

Are there any performance implications of using weak references?

Yes, using weak references can introduce overhead due to the need for the garbage collector to manage them, but they can save memory.