Core Python Programming

3.5. Memory Management

So far you have seen a large number of Python code samples and may have noticed a few interesting details about variables and memory management. Highlighting some of the more conspicuous ones, we have:

• Variables not declared ahead of time

• Variable types are not declared

• No memory management on programmers' part

• Variable names can be “recycled”

• del statement allows for explicit “deallocation”

3.5.1. Variable Declarations (or Lack Thereof)

In most compiled languages, variables must be declared before they are used. In fact, C is even more restrictive: Variables have to be declared at the beginning of a code block and before any statements are given. Other languages, like C++ and Java, allow “on-the-fly” declarations i.e., those ...