Why do browsers sometimes drain a lot of RAM until rebooted?
In: 5662
A computer has a limited amount of memory. When a program wants to use something, it asks to borrow it. This is called memory allocation. Some programs are really good at returning something as soon as they are done with it.
The others fall into two categories.
One is programs that borrow memory but then forget they did. They don’t return it. This is called a memory leak.
The other hoards memory because it isn’t well written it it needs lots to do what it’s trying to do. This is called a bloated pile of crap.
In all cases, when a program closes, it lets go of all the memory it borrowed and it gets reclaimed.
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