Which of the following features does Java NOT support?

• A. Multi-threading
• B. Pointers
• C. Exception handling
• D. Automatic garbage collection

Answer: (B)

Java does not support pointers, which distinguishes it from many other programming languages like C or C++. Pointers are variables that hold the memory address of another variable, allowing direct memory manipulation. This capability can lead to several problems, such as memory leaks, buffer overflows, and pointer arithmetic issues, which can compromise the security and stability of applications.

Java takes a different approach by using references instead of pointers. While references allow the programmer to access objects in memory, they do not give direct access to the memory addresses. This design choice enhances the safety and security of Java programs by eliminating the possibility of pointer-related errors, thereby reducing the complexity for developers.

Java's other features—multi-threading, exception handling, and automatic garbage collection—are fully supported and contribute to its robustness and developer efficiency. Multi-threading allows concurrent execution of parts of a program, exception handling provides a way to deal with runtime errors gracefully, and automatic garbage collection helps manage memory by freeing memory occupied by unreferenced objects.