Memory Management & Garbage Collection

From a memory perspective, what's the main difference between these approaches?

// Imperative approach
function processData1(data) {
  let result = [];
  for (let i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
    if (data[i].value > 100) {
      const processed = transform(data[i]);
      result.push(processed);
    }
  }
  return result;
}

// Functional approach
function processData2(data) {
  return data
    .filter(item => item.value > 100)
    .map(transform);
}

The imperative approach uses less memory because it creates fewer functions
The functional approach uses less memory because it creates fewer intermediate objects
Both use equivalent memory, but the functional approach is clearer
The functional approach creates additional intermediate arrays that require more memory
The main memory difference is that the functional approach creates intermediate arrays: 1) The functional approach with filter() creates a complete intermediate array before mapping, 2) This requires additional memory allocation, especially with large data sets, 3) The imperative approach builds a single result array without intermediate collections, 4) For large data sets, this difference can be significant, 5) The functional approach prioritizes code clarity and maintainability over raw memory efficiency, 6) Modern JavaScript engines may optimize some chained operations, but the fundamental memory model remains, 7) The tradeoff between the approaches involves balancing memory efficiency against code readability and maintenance, 8) For memory-critical applications processing large datasets, the imperative approach may be preferred despite being more verbose.

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