🎯 Introduction
In .NET, both Finalize and Dispose are used for cleaning up resources.
But they work differently, and knowing when to use which is a common interview question.
👉 Full detailed article:
https://fullstackprep.dev/articles/webd/netcore/finalize-vs-dispose-dotnet
🔗 Explore more .NET interview prep & guides:
https://fullstackprep.dev
👶 Fresher Level: Analogy
Imagine you’re staying at a hotel:
Dispose() → You check out at the reception, hand over the keys, and settle the bill (manual cleanup).
Finalize() → If you forget to check out, the hotel staff eventually clears your room automatically (automatic cleanup by GC).
Dispose = Immediate + manual cleanup
Finalize = Delayed + automatic cleanup
👨💻 Experienced Level: Practical Explanation
Dispose()
Part of IDisposable interface.
Called explicitly by the developer (or via using block).
Best for unmanaged resources like file handles, DB connections.
Finalize()
Destructor (~ClassName) called by Garbage Collector.
Non-deterministic (you don’t control when it runs).
Acts as a backup if Dispose wasn’t called.
👉 Code examples & best practices:
https://fullstackprep.dev/articles/webd/netcore/finalize-vs-dispose-dotnet
🏗️ Architect Level: Enterprise Perspective
For architects:
Rely on Dispose() for predictable cleanup.
Use Finalize() only for safety nets in case Dispose is missed.
Combine both using the Dispose Pattern to ensure robust cleanup.
In high-performance or mission-critical apps, unmanaged resources must always implement IDisposable.
This ensures memory efficiency, system stability, and reduced GC overhead.
🚀 Closing Thoughts
Think of Dispose as you checking out properly, and Finalize as hotel staff cleaning up if you forget.
Always prefer Dispose for deterministic cleanup and let Finalize act as a safety backup.
👉 Read the full deep dive here:
https://fullstackprep.dev/articles/webd/netcore/finalize-vs-dispose-dotnet
🔗 Explore more .NET topics & interview prep:
https://fullstackprep.dev
Top comments (0)