Memóriafoglalás

Memóriafoglalás, often translated as memory allocation, refers to the process of assigning a block of computer memory to a program or process for its use. This memory is needed to store data, instructions, and other essential elements for a program to run. When a program requires memory, it requests it from the operating system or a dedicated memory manager. The memory manager then finds a suitable, available chunk of memory and reserves it for the program.

There are two primary types of memory allocation: static and dynamic. Static allocation occurs before the program begins execution, with memory sizes determined at compile time. This memory remains allocated for the entire duration of the program's run. Dynamic allocation, on the other hand, happens during program execution, allowing programs to request and release memory as needed. This flexibility is crucial for handling varying amounts of data.

When memory is no longer required by a program, it should be deallocated, returning it to the pool of available memory. Failure to deallocate memory properly can lead to memory leaks, where memory is held onto unnecessarily, potentially impacting the performance of the system and other running programs. Memory management techniques, such as garbage collection in some programming languages, aim to automate this deallocation process to prevent such issues. Efficient memory allocation is a fundamental aspect of computer programming and system performance.