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## The Java Virtual Machine

# Garbage Collected Heap

The Java heap is the runtime data area from which class instances (objects) are allocated. The Java language is designed to be garbage collected -- it does not give the programmer the ability to deallocate objects explicitly. Java does not presuppose any particular kind of garbage collection; various algorithms may be used depending on system requirements.

Java objects are always referred to and operated on indirectly, through handles. Handles may be thought of as pointers to areas allocated out of the garbage collected heap.

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