How to make Java objects eligible for garbage collection?

An object becomes eligible for garbage collection when it becomes unreachable by any code. Two way can make this happened:

• Explicitly set the reference variable that refers to the object to null.
• Reassign the reference variable that points to the object to refer to other object.

For example,

class Program {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    X x1 = new X("1");
    X x2 = new X("2");
    x1 = null;    // X("1") object is eligible for collection after this
    x2 = new Y(); // X("2") object is eligible for collection after this 
  }
}

Printer-friendly version | Mail this to a friend