FreeMemory

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As Christian Heimes describes it here, Python uses its own memory allocator for small objects (< 257 bytes). Larger objects are allocated directly with malloc, smaller objects end up in arenas. The code is well documented in obmalloc.c.

  • Classes with a del method may create reference cycles. The GC can't break cycles when a del method is involved.

  • keeping references to tracebacks, exception objects (except Exception, err) or frames (sys._getframe())

Related information: