How do you handle memory management in Erlang?
Memory management in Erlang is handled by the Erlang Virtual Machine (BEAM). The BEAM uses a garbage collector to manage memory. The garbage collector is responsible for reclaiming memory that is no longer in use.
The garbage collector works by periodically scanning the memory and reclaiming any memory that is no longer referenced. This process is known as garbage collection. The garbage collector also compacts memory, which reduces fragmentation and improves performance.
The garbage collector is designed to be efficient and non-intrusive. It runs in the background and does not interfere with the execution of the program.
In addition to the garbage collector, Erlang also provides a number of memory management functions. These functions allow developers to explicitly allocate and deallocate memory, as well as to monitor memory usage.
Finally, Erlang provides a number of tools for debugging memory issues. These tools allow developers to identify memory leaks and other memory-related issues.
