How does garbage collection work in Node.js?

Short answer: Node.js uses the V8 JavaScript engine’s garbage collector, which: Automatically frees memory that's no longer referenced. Uses a generational GC: young generation (short-lived objects) and old generation (long-lived objects). Runs periodically to clean up unused objects. Developers usually don’t control it directly, but can monitor memory and tune via flags if needed.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

A ShopNest BFF in Node.js aggregates catalog and price APIs for the React storefront.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.