Explain Python’s memory management. with example.
Explain Python’s memory management.
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27-Aug-2025
Updated on 27-Aug-2025
Anubhav Kumar
27-Aug-2025Python manages memory automatically, so you don’t usually have to worry about allocating or freeing memory yourself. It uses a system called reference counting: every object keeps track of how many references point to it. When an object’s reference count drops to zero, meaning nothing is using it anymore, Python automatically frees that memory.
In addition to reference counting, Python also has a garbage collector that cleans up circular references (when two or more objects reference each other but aren’t used anywhere else). This ensures that memory doesn’t leak even in complex programs.
Python also optimizes memory by reusing small objects like integers and short strings, so it’s more efficient than creating new ones every time.
In short: Python handles most of the memory work for you, using reference counting, garbage collection, and smart object reuse.