Finalize() and Dispose()

Question

Hi friends What is the difference between Finalize() and Dispose()?

Satyapriya Nayak · Answer

Hi Akshay C# Provides two special methods that are used to release the instance of a class from memory Finalize() and Dispose(). Finalize(): The Finalize destructor is a special method that is called from the class to which it belongs or from the derived class. The Finalize() destructor is called after the last reference to an object is released from the memory. The .Net Framework automatically runs the Finalize() destructor to destroy objects in the memory. However it is important to remember that the Finalize() destructor may not execute immediately when an object loses scope. It is called by CLR using reference-tracing garbage collection the CLR periodically check for objects that are not used by the application. When such an object is found the Finalize() destructor is called automatically and the garbage collector of the CLR release the object from the memory. Dispose(): The Dispose() method is called to release a resource such as database connection as soon as the object using such a resource is no longer in use. Unlike the Finalize() destructor the Dispose() method is not called automatically and you must explicitly call it from a client application when an object is no longer needed. The IDisposable interface contains the Dispose() method. Therefore  to call the Dispose() method the class must implement the IDisposable interface. Thanks

Vulpes · Answer

Finalize() is a method which is called automatically by the runtime just before an object is about to be garbage collected. C# uses destructor syntax (~MyClass()) rather than an explicit Finalize() method for this purpose. Dispose() is a method which can be called on an object which implements IDisposable - either explicitly or implicitly via the 'using' statement - to release unmanaged resources. It doesn't destroy the managed object itself though if there are no longer any references to the object then it will be destroyed by the garbage collector in due course.