When Should You Use GC.Collect()?

Understanding GC.Collect() and Its Appropriate Use

Directly invoking GC.Collect() in your code is generally discouraged. However, specific situations justify its use.

For instance, in applications with cyclical execution patterns (perform task, sleep), proactively initiating garbage collection can free up memory held by the inactive process, improving resource management.

Another valid scenario arises when a significant number of objects (particularly in generations 1 and 2) are ready for collection. Strategic garbage collection, such as after closing a large form, minimizes performance disruption and optimizes resource usage.

.NET 4.5 and later versions offer specific GC modes (GCLatencyMode.LowLatency and GCLatencyMode.SustainedLowLatency). When switching between these modes, a full garbage collection (GC.Collect(2, GCCollectionMode.Forced)) is recommended for optimal transition.

Furthermore, .NET 4.6 and later provide GC.TryStartNoGCRegion, allowing you to specify a no-garbage-collection code section. Microsoft's Ben Watson advises a full GC both before and after employing this method.

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