When does the JVM perform garbage collection during its operation?

The JVM initiates garbage collection (GC) in the following cases:

• When the available heap memory is exhausted or becomes insufficient to allocate new objects.
• When the system determines that enough garbage has accumulated to justify running GC to free up memory.
• When System.gc() is explicitly called, although this is only a recommendation to the JVM.

Garbage collection occurs automatically and adaptively, based on the memory state and application load. The JVM uses various algorithms and strategies to minimize pauses and manage memory efficiently.

Thus, triggering GC is a reaction to memory shortage or JVM internal heuristics, rather than a fixed time event.