Comparison

Here is a rough comparison of the memory management techniques.

Pros of Different Memory Management Techniques

  • Manual like C:
    • No runtime overhead.
  • Automatic like Java:
    • Fully automatic.
    • Safe and correct.
  • Scope-based like C++:
    • Partially automatic.
    • No runtime overhead.
  • Compiler-enforced scope-based like Rust:
    • Enforced by compiler.
    • No runtime overhead.
    • Safe and correct.

Cons of Different Memory Management Techniques

  • Manual like C:
    • Use-after-free.
    • Double-frees.
    • Memory leaks.
  • Automatic like Java:
    • Garbage collection pauses.
    • Destructor delays.
  • Scope-based like C++:
    • Complex, opt-in by programmer.
    • Potential for use-after-free.
  • Compiler-enforced and scope-based like Rust:
    • Some upfront complexity.
    • Can reject valid programs.