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Note that calling System.gc() does not guarantee that the garbage collector will run immediately or that the object will be destroyed immediately. The garbage collector is a non-deterministic process and it will run on its own schedule.

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Notes on System.gc()

The use of System.gc() in Java is a topic of some debate among developers. System.gc() is a call that suggests to the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to initiate garbage collection. However, whether or not this call is necessary or even advisable depends on several factors.

The Role of System.gc()

  • Suggestion, Not a Guarantee: System.gc() suggests to the JVM that it is a good time to perform garbage collection, but it does not guarantee that the garbage collector will actually run. The JVM's garbage collector algorithm and the current state of the system ultimately determine whether it will act on this suggestion.

  • JVM Optimization: Modern JVMs are highly optimized and have sophisticated garbage collection algorithms designed to manage memory efficiently. They continuously monitor the runtime environment and make informed decisions about the best time to perform garbage collection based on the goal of maximizing performance and minimizing pause times.

Conclusion

In most cases, it's best to leave garbage collection to the JVM and focus on writing efficient, memory-friendly code. Use System.gc() sparingly, if at all, and consider it mainly as a tool for debugging and testing rather than a feature to rely on in production code. Modern JVMs are equipped with garbage collection algorithms that are efficient for a wide range of applications, making explicit garbage collection requests unnecessary and often counterproductive.