# What does 'safepoint' in the GC/memory-management subsystem?

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/what-does-safepoint-in-the-gc-memory-management-subsystem/48721
**Category:** Internals & Design
**Tags:** memory
**Created:** [October 21, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/what-does-safepoint-in-the-gc-memory-management-subsystem/48721 "2020-10-21T02:24:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![KDr2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/kdr2/32/2542_2.png) [@KDr2](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/KDr2)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/what-does-safepoint-in-the-gc-memory-management-subsystem/48721/1 "2020-10-21T02:24:53Z")

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As I understood, a ‘safepoint’ is a point at which GC never occurs, is my understanding correct? Or I missed something important? Thanks.

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### Author: ![Keno](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/keno/32/285_2.png) [@Keno](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Keno)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2020, 6:24am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/what-does-safepoint-in-the-gc-memory-management-subsystem/48721/2 "2020-10-21T06:24:12Z")

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Other way around - a safepoint is a point where the GC may safely run. The terminology was written by people writing GCs ;).