Understanding Java Garbage Collection and what you can do about it

Recorded at SpringOne 2GX 2012.
Speaker: Gil Tene, Azul Systems
Garbage Collection is an integral part of application behavior on Java platforms, yet it is often misunderstood. As such, it is important for Java developers to understand the actions you can take in selecting and tuning collector mechanisms, as well as in your application architecture choices. In this session, Gil Tene (CTO, Azul Systems) will review and classify the various garbage collectors and collection techniques available in JVMs today. Following a quick overview of common garbage collection techniques including generational, parallel, stop-the-world, incremental, concurrent and mostly-concurrent algorithms, we will define terms and metrics common to all collectors. We will classify each major JVM collector's mechanisms and characteristics and discuss the tradeoffs involved in balancing requirements for responsiveness, throughput, space, and available memory across varying scale levels. We will conclude with some pitfalls, common misconceptions, and "myths" around garbage collection behavior, as well as examples of how some good choices can result in impressive application behavior.

[ReinildesOliveira]

Congratulations, This was the best source on GC I have read so far!

[TravelWorld]

Garbage Collection is an integral part of application behavior on Java platforms, yet it is often misunderstood. As such, it is important for Java developers to understand the actions you can take in selecting and tuning collector mechanisms, as well as in your application architecture choices. In this session, Gil Tene (CTO, Azul Systems) will review and classify the various garbage collectors and collection techniques available in JVMs today. Following a quick overview of common garbage collection techniques including generational, parallel, stop-the-world, incremental, concurrent and mostly-concurrent algorithms, we will define terms and metrics common to all collectors. We will classify each major JVM collector's mechanisms and characteristics and discuss the tradeoffs involved in balancing requirements for responsiveness, throughput, space, and available memory across varying scale levels. We will conclude with some pitfalls, common misconceptions, and "myths" around garbage collection behavior, as well as examples of how some good choices can result in impressive application behavior.

[robertgloverjr]

Really makes you feel informed and knowledgeable about all the important garbage collection terms and their correct meanings.  Mark, sweep, compact, concurrent GC, parallel GC, STW (Stop the World), young generation, new generation, mutator.... it covers all the lingo.   Everybody should watch this.  A+.

[stb]

so far the most detailed video about GC.
i just hope you can add more graph/ animation when explaining how mark/ sweep/ concurrent work, instead of just using words.
good work!

[WilsonMar]

BTW, the guy talking, Gil Tene, is not just a wannabe pretending he knows the topic.
Garbage collection is his life's achievement.
His Azul System enables near real-time Java runs by moving garbage collection off your servers so GCs are done on other servers.

[JanStureNielsen]

Chalk full of great GC information; learned quite a bit - thanks, Gil!

[muthuswamybharadwaj]

Very nice presentation. Is there any published book that expands these topics in greater detail?

[aditya]

wats the avg gc cycle rate fr young n old gen ?? i.e hw often does a round of copy/compact happen ?
if im right azul has managed to get an gc wok well with huge jvm memory ?
Any info on the techiques available ??

[sergeik]

Is there really any difference between msp ane mc (m mark, s sweep, c compact)?

[AmitKumarMondal_Joy]

If I am not mistaken, the first person from the audience to ask questions about safe points is none other than Google CEO - Sundar Pichai.

[brak]

Aren't you the same person who use to be called "Antirtfm" ? You sure sound like him.

[funnygeeks]

1:19:38
This is the first time I've ever heard java being called "fast"

[Skyturnip]

Interesting content BUT
1/ Next to no diagrams for GC in first 2/3 of talk... really needs them.
2/ Way too much text. Should I listen or should I read, or both? Distracting
3/ whiny voice

Talk gets many more diagrams/jokes when pushing Azul products... tacky...