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How does Rust handle memory management without a garbage collector?
Asked on Feb 06, 2026
Answer
Rust handles memory management through a system of ownership with rules that the compiler checks at compile time, eliminating the need for a garbage collector. This system ensures memory safety and prevents data races by enforcing strict control over how memory is accessed and modified.
Example Concept: Rust's ownership model is based on three core principles: each value in Rust has a single owner, a value is dropped when its owner goes out of scope, and references to data must obey borrowing rules. These rules are enforced by the borrow checker, which ensures that references do not outlive their data and that mutable references are unique, preventing data races and ensuring safe memory access.
Additional Comment:
- Ownership rules are enforced at compile time, so there is no runtime overhead.
- The borrow checker prevents dangling pointers and ensures safe aliasing.
- Rust's approach allows for deterministic resource management, which is crucial for systems programming.
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