Description: A phantom reference is a type of reference in programming that allows access to an object without preventing it from being collected by the garbage collector. Unlike strong references, which keep an object in memory as long as they exist, phantom references do not contribute to the memory accounting of the object they point to. This means that if there are no strong references to an object, it can be removed from memory even if there are phantom references to it. Phantom references are useful in situations where some cleanup or notification action is needed after an object has been collected, but there is no desire to keep it in memory. This type of reference is commonly used in memory management in various programming languages that implement garbage collection. Phantom references allow developers to have finer control over the lifespan of objects and optimize memory usage, preventing leaks and improving application performance.
