Garbage Collection
Garbage collection is an automatic memory management technique used in programming languages to reclaim memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use by the program. It identifies and frees up memory that is no longer referenced, preventing memory leaks and reducing manual memory management overhead for developers. This process typically runs in the background, allowing programmers to focus on application logic rather than explicit memory deallocation.
Developers should learn about garbage collection when working with languages like Java, C#, Python, or JavaScript, as it is essential for writing efficient and reliable applications in these environments. It is particularly valuable in long-running applications, such as web servers or mobile apps, where manual memory management could lead to leaks and crashes over time. Understanding garbage collection helps optimize performance by minimizing pauses and managing object lifecycles effectively.