Answer
PHP uses reference counting and a cyclic garbage collector to free memory. It detects circular references and prevents memory leaks.
Quick Answer
PHP garbage collection frees memory automatically. Reference counting tracks how many variables point to each value. When count hits zero, memory is freed. PHP also has a cycle collector for circular references. gc_collect_cycles() triggers it manually. Long-running scripts (workers, daemons) need careful memory management since garbage does not get cleared between web requests.
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SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.
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Source: SugharaIQ