Re:Show HN: A pure reference counting GC in Go
by pjmlp on Wednesday January 15, 2020 @04:46AM
(#22052958)
The only flexibility is that is easier to implement, whence why it is usually the first GC algorithm one learns, and among the initial chapters of GC algorithms overview books.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:Show HN: A pure reference counting GC in Go
by ckok on Wednesday January 15, 2020 @05:34AM
(#22053150)
The algorithm used here is a combination of both rc and tracing, it's not simple.
Re:Show HN: A pure reference counting GC in Go
by pjmlp on Wednesday January 15, 2020 @05:37AM
(#22053159)
Thus making the point that in the end it always ends up being some form of tracing GC when performance matters.
Re:Show HN: A pure reference counting GC in Go
by ckok on Wednesday January 15, 2020 @07:52AM
(#22053754)
Right. To make RC work like a tracing GC (performant and without failing on circular references); it's going to be a combination. That said, there are a lot of interesting ideas in this that might be quite worth it. Like the article referenced, doesn't do a full heap scan, but makes a note of what is worth looking at.