This seems like a simple question, but after a lot of reading on the subject, I still haven't found a definitive answer (perhaps because it is so simple). My question is this: when a garbage collector compacts objects in the heap, how are the references to those objects in the stack updated? I can think of two possible solutions:Go through the stack (and references in the heap) and update the reference to point to the new location of the object. In an analogy to moving, this would be like sending a letter to anyone who has your address and asking them to update their address book with your new address.Provide some sort of look up table. This would be like leaving a forwarding address with the local post office.Do garbage collectors predominantly use one of these two methods? Some other method? Both?
When a garbage collector compacts objects in the heap, does it change the references on the stack?
garbage collection