Generatieverzameling

Generatieverzameling, often translated as generation collection or garbage collection, is a memory management technique used in computer programming. It is a form of automatic memory management where the runtime environment automatically reclaims memory that is no longer in use by the program. This process is essential for preventing memory leaks and simplifying the development process by relieving programmers from manual memory allocation and deallocation.

The core idea behind generatieverzameling is to track which objects in memory are still reachable by the program. Objects that are no longer reachable are considered "garbage" and can be safely deallocated. Many modern garbage collection algorithms employ a generational approach. This strategy is based on the observation that most objects have a short lifespan, while a few live for a very long time.

Generational garbage collectors divide the heap memory into different "generations." New objects are allocated in the youngest generation. When this generation becomes full, a garbage collection cycle is performed. Objects that survive this collection are then promoted to an older generation. Older generations are collected less frequently because they are assumed to contain mostly long-lived objects. This strategy optimizes the collection process by focusing efforts on the areas of memory where garbage is most likely to be found.