kathy sierra question doubt

[Jacob Sonia]

  class Beta { }
 4. class Alpha {
 5.   static Beta b1;
 6.   Beta b2;
 7. }
 8. public class Tester {
 9.   public static void main(String[] args) {
10.     Beta b1 = new Beta();     Beta b2 = new Beta();
11.     Alpha a1 = new Alpha();   Alpha a2 = new Alpha();
12.     a1.b1 = b1;
13.     a1.b2 = b1;
14.     a2.b2 = b2;
15.     a1 = null;  b1 = null;  b2 = null;
16.     // do stuff
17.   }
18. }
  

Please help me understand that how is just one object eligible for GC after //dostuff is reached

[Rohan Kayan]

Only object pointed by a1 is eligible to GC.


a2.b1 -> b1
a2.b2 ->b2

[Ankit Garg]

Jacob please SearchFirst. This question has been asked many times in the forum. Search for "alpha beta" in the forum, you'll get a lot of good explanations...