Commit 9439f04b authored by Antoine Pitrou's avatar Antoine Pitrou

Issue #14954: Clarify the interaction of weak references and garbage collection.

Patch by Ethan Furman.
parent c6fdafcd
...@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ by a weak reference. ...@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ by a weak reference.
A weak reference to an object is not enough to keep the object alive: when the A weak reference to an object is not enough to keep the object alive: when the
only remaining references to a referent are weak references, only remaining references to a referent are weak references,
:term:`garbage collection` is free to destroy the referent and reuse its memory :term:`garbage collection` is free to destroy the referent and reuse its memory
for something else. A primary use for weak references is to implement caches or for something else. However, until the object is actually destroyed the weak
reference may return the object even if there are no strong references to it.
A primary use for weak references is to implement caches or
mappings holding large objects, where it's desired that a large object not be mappings holding large objects, where it's desired that a large object not be
kept alive solely because it appears in a cache or mapping. kept alive solely because it appears in a cache or mapping.
......
...@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ Jim Fulton ...@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ Jim Fulton
Tadayoshi Funaba Tadayoshi Funaba
Gyro Funch Gyro Funch
Peter Funk Peter Funk
Ethan Furman
Geoff Furnish Geoff Furnish
Ulisses Furquim Ulisses Furquim
Hagen Fürstenau Hagen Fürstenau
......
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