JVM Garbage Collectors

JVM Garbage Collectors are responsible for automatic memory management in Java. They free unused objects from the heap to prevent memory leaks and improve application performance. This process is handled by the JVM through garbage collection.

public class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String data = new String("Garbage Collection Demo");
        
        // Object becomes eligible for garbage collection
        data = null; 
    }
}

Explanation: When the reference is set to null, the object is no longer reachable and becomes eligible for garbage collection.

Threads in Garbage Collection

1. Controlling Garbage Collection Threads

To control the number of threads used by the garbage collector, we can use multi-threaded collectors like the Parallel Garbage Collector.

Implementation:

java -XX:+UseParallelGC -XX:ParallelGCThreads=NumberOfThreads -jar ApplicationJar.java

2. Limiting GC Pause Time

To limit the maximum pause time during garbage collection, we can use the MaxGCPauseMillis option:

Implementation:

java -XX:+UseParallelGC -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=SecInMillisecond -jar ApplicationJar.java

Types of Garbage Collectors

1. Serial Garbage Collector

The Serial Garbage Collector is the simplest GC and uses a single thread for all garbage collection tasks. It pauses all application threads during GC and is best suited for small applications or systems with limited memory.

Implementation

java -XX:+UseSerialGC -jar ApplicationJar.java

2. Parallel Garbage Collector

The Parallel Garbage Collector (default in Java 8) uses multiple threads to perform garbage collection, improving throughput. It pauses the application during GC but provides better performance than Serial GC and is ideal for high-throughput applications.

Implementation:

java -XX:+UseParallelGC -jar ApplicationJar.java

3. Concurrent Mark-Sweep Collector

CMS is designed to minimize pause times by performing most GC work concurrently with application threads. It is suitable for low-latency applications like web servers but is deprecated in newer Java versions.

Implementation:

java -XX:+UseParNewGC -jar ApplicationJar.java

4. G1 Garbage Collector

G1 GC divides the heap into multiple regions and collects regions with the most garbage first. It provides predictable pause times, supports large heaps, and became the default GC in Java 9.

Implementation:

java -XX:+UseG1GC -jar ApplicationJar.java

5. Z Garbage Collector:

ZGC is a low-latency garbage collector introduced in Java 11. It handles very large heaps with pause times typically in milliseconds, making it suitable for performance-critical applications.

Implementation:

java-XX:+UseZGC -jar ApplicationJar.java

6. Shenandoah Garbage Collector

Shenandoah, introduced in Java 12, focuses on very low pause times by running garbage collection concurrently with application threads. It is ideal for latency-sensitive systems.

Implementation:

java-XX:+UseShenandoahGC -jar ApplicationJar.java

Garbage Collection JVM Options

JVM Arguments

Here’s a table describing the arguments that can be used to instruct the JVM:

Garbage Collector Options

Here's a table describing the available garbage collections algorithms and optimization options in the JVM.