The article discusses the System.gc() API call in Java and other languages, clarifying its invocation, use cases, downsides, and detection methods. Invoking System.gc() can halt JVM operations, causing poor user experiences. It also suggests strategies to manage or disable these calls, including using JVM arguments and monitoring GC logs for optimization.
When studying Garbage Collection performance, focus on 'GC Pause Duration' instead of 'GC Duration' as it more accurately reflects application performance impact. 'GC Pause Duration' includes only full pause events, while 'GC Duration' accounts for overall time, leading to potentially misleading analyses. Tools like GCeasy help differentiate these metrics effectively.