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.