Interviewers were really helpful, trying to guide me whenever stuck and trying to assess my problem-solving skills and thought process at all times.

Questions covered basic data structures questions on arrays, linked lists, and heaps predominantly, and some theory-based questions on garbage collection in Java (generational mark and sweep) and Python (reference counting).

Programming language specifics included streams API (Java), decorators in Python, Pub/Sub pattern (message queue), etc.

However, the HR handled the entire process quite poorly, from scheduling interviews to rolling out the offer. They don't reply promptly; I had to mail a couple of times before they got back to me. I was deeply disappointed by how they treated potential candidates.

What are the disadvantages of reference counting as a garbage collection algorithm, and how does Python overcome it?