Simple Generational Garbage Collection and Fast Allocation

Report ID: TR-143-88
Author: Appel, Andrew W.
Date: 1988-03-00
Pages: 12
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Abstract:

Generational garbage collection algorithms achieve eciency because newer records point to older records; the only way an older record can point to a newer record is by a store operation to a previously-created record, and such operations are rare in many languages. A garbarge collector that concentrates just on recently allocated records can take advantage of this fact. This paper presents a simple, efficient, low-overhead version of generational garbarge collection that is suitable for implementation in a Unix environment. In addition, a scheme for quick record allocation is described.