Garbage collection was already part of Lisp implementations by the early 1960s.

Format Online paper / PDF

Location PART 3 - THE THIRD AXIS CHAPTER 15: DEPLOY NOW, PRAY LATER “Fuck it. Let’s Release”

"Garbage collection was already part of Lisp implementations by the early 1960s."

The 1962 LISP 1.5 manual documents automatic storage reclamation as part of the language's implementation. It supports the historical example in Graham's discussion of features that existed in Lisp long before becoming widely adopted elsewhere.

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Source title LISP 1.5 Programmer's Manual

Source authors John McCarthy; Paul W. Abrahams; Daniel J. Edwards; Timothy P. Hart; Michael I. Levin

Source year 1962

Confidence high

Importance mid