Memory fragmentation occurs when memory is allocated in a way that creates small, unused spaces between allocated blocks. This can lead to a situation where there is not enough contiguous memory to satisfy a new allocation request, even though there may be enough total memory available. Avoiding memory fragmentation is important for ensuring that memory is used efficiently and that applications can run smoothly.
There are several techniques that can be used to avoid memory fragmentation. One common technique is to use a memory allocator that supports compaction. A compactor is a program that can move allocated blocks of memory around in order to create larger contiguous blocks. This can help to reduce fragmentation and improve memory utilization.
