Secret Recipes of the Python Ninja

Getting ready

To discuss this PEP, we need to have a discussion about how garbage collection works within Python.

Garbage collection is handled by the gc module. While garbage collection is provided by Python by default, it is actually an optional feature. Using the module, garbage collection can be turned off, or the collection frequency can be modified; it also allows for debugging options. Further, it provides the ability to access objects that the collector identified, but cannot directly de-allocate. Python's garbage collector acts in conjunction with reference counting, which is one reason why it can be turned off.

Implicit garbage collection occurs based on the system determining that resources are over-allocated. When a new allocation ...