What is a garbage collector?

Garbage collector feature in .NET frees the unused code objects in the memory. The memory head is divided into 3 generations:

• Generation 0: It stores short-lived objects.
• Generation 1: This is for medium-lived objects.
• Generation 2: It stores long-lived objects.
  Collection of garbage refers to the collection of objects stored in the generations.

In a .NET interview, when asked about what a garbage collector is, the correct answer would be:

“A garbage collector is a feature of the .NET Framework responsible for automatically managing memory in applications built on the .NET platform. Its primary function is to reclaim memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use, thereby preventing memory leaks and optimizing memory usage. The garbage collector tracks references to objects and periodically identifies and removes objects that are no longer reachable by the application, freeing up the associated memory for reuse. This automated memory management process helps developers focus more on application logic and less on manual memory management tasks, leading to improved productivity and reliability.”