Custom Business Application Development: Automatic memory management in Java is both simple and powerful. In custom business application development it helps to avoid a common memory management error. The Java environment says to the programmer: "You create and use objects as you need them. When you’re done, don’t worry about them. I’ll clean up after you." Custom business application development including web site application development is easier and more error free with Java’s automatic memory management.

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Automatic memory management has always been one of Java’s strong points. The concept is both simple and powerful. The Java environment says to the programmer: "You create and use objects as you need them. When you’re done, don’t worry about them. I’ll clean up after you."

On the surface – and even some distance beneath –automatic memory management is a wonderful thing. It appears to completely eliminate some of the more subtle (and nefarious) problems that have plagued programmers in both object-oriented and procedural languages alike.

It is not, however, a panacea; not even in regards to the class of problems it seeks to abolish. In keeping with one of the fundamental laws of the universe – to wit, you don’t "get something for nothing" – although automatic memory management solves one group of problems, other problems rush in to fill the void. (And some of the old problems simply change clothes and come back.)

These new problems can, however, be avoided by someone armed with an understanding of how Java’s automatic memory management works. The goal of this white paper is to explore some of the behind-the-scenes gymnastics that the JVM employs to provide automatic memory management. This will allow us to describe some of the consequences of those gymnastics that might result in unintended consequences, and thereby arm a programmer against such consequences.

In addition, the paper will example some "special situations" unconventional Java environments targeted at specific applications that are gaining in popularity. These environments are special in the sense that they define memory behavior unlike what is found in the standard desktop Java environment. These special environments include:

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