Is Leaked Memory Recovered When a Program Terminates?

Memory Leaks and Program Termination

When a program encounters a memory leak, it continues to hold onto memory that is no longer needed. This memory is not immediately freed, raising the question: Is that leaked memory recovered upon program termination?

Answer:

Yes, in most operating systems, memory that leaks within a program is automatically freed when the program exits. The operating system (OS) monitors the memory allocated to each process and reclaims it when the process concludes.

This memory reclamation occurs seamlessly in mainstream operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and Solaris. However, it's crucial to note that specialized environments, such as certain Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOSs), may deviate from this behavior and not release leaked memory upon program termination.

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