Garbage collection for strongly-typed languages using run-time type reconstruction
Shail Aditya, Christine H. Flood, James E. Hicks · 1994
Garbage collectors perform two functions: live-object detection and dead-object reclamation. In this paper, we present a new technique for live-object detection based on run-time type reconstruction for a strongly typed, polymorphic language. This scheme uses compile-time type information together with the run-time tree of activation frames to determine the exact type of every object participating in the computation. These reconstructed types are then used to identify and traverse the live heap objects during garbage collection.