the JVM doesn't release free memory to the operating system. Not true. The Sun/Oracle JVM at least most definitely releases free memory. It's just rather reluc

the JVM doesn't release free memory to the operating system. Not true. The Sun/Oracle JVM at least most definitely releases free memory. It's just rather reluctant to do so - but that, too, can be tweaked via the -XX:MinHeapFreeRatio and -XX:MaxHeapFreeRatio parameters