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Subject: Re: Set x to  to None and del x doesn't release memory in python 2.7.1 (HPUX 11.23, ia64)
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Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:40628

On Wednesday, March 6, 2013 10:11:12 AM UTC, Wong Wah Meng-R32813 wrote:
> Hello there,
>=20
>=20
>=20
> I am using python 2.7.1 built on HP-11.23 a Itanium 64 bit box.=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> I discovered following behavior whereby the python process doesn't seem t=
o release memory utilized even after a variable is set to None, and "delete=
d". I use glance tool to monitor the memory utilized by this process. Obvio=
usly after the for loop is executed, the memory used by this process has hi=
ked to a few MB. However, after "del" is executed to both I and str variabl=
es, the memory of that process still stays at where it was.=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Any idea why?
>=20
>=20
>=20
> >>> for i in range(100000L):
>=20
> ...     str=3Dstr+"%s"%(i,)=20
>=20
> ...=20
>=20
> >>> i=3DNone
>=20
> >>> str=3DNone
>=20
> >>> del i
>=20
> >>> del str

Hi, I'm new here so I'm making mistakes too but I know they don't like it w=
hen you ask your question in someone else's question.=20

that being said, to answer your question:

Python uses a 'garbage collector'. When you delete something, all reference=
s are removed from the object in memory, the memory itself will not be free=
d until the next time the garbage collector runs. When that happens, all ob=
jects without references in memory are removed and the memory freed.  If yo=
u wait a while you should see that memory free itself.