String Literal (String a="string") & String Object (String a=new String("string"))

Are both String literal & String Object eligible for garbage collection.

Check the below class operating both on String literal and String object.


class GC{
public static void main(String args[]) {
String str1 = "abc";
String str2 = new String("abc");

str1=str2=null;
}
}

Only one Object is eligible for GC.
Reason:
In the above code,
1. String1 is the String literal. (this is also object )
2.String2 is the Object.

3. When ever you create a String by using
String str1 = "abc";
Str1 is going to store in Heap Memory.
Str1 is referencing to the String Constant pool.

4. String str2 = new String("abc") is not referencing to the String constant pool.

5. so, when ever we make that strings as null, then
str1=str2=null;

6. Both the string will be null.
7. String2 is eligible to GC, because String1 is still has a reference in String constant pool
8. So, what ever may be the string which has a reference to String constant pool, is
not eligible for GC.

Thus String literals are not eligible for GC.