How does toString impact performance or memory usage?

The toString method in Java is a fundamental part of the object-oriented programming paradigm. It defines how an object is represented as a string, which can impact performance and memory usage in several ways.

When toString is called, it can lead to additional computations, especially if it concatenates multiple strings or performs complex calculations. While string concatenation using the + operator generally results in more memory usage as new string objects are created, using StringBuilder can optimize performance by mitigating the creation of temporary string objects. Hence, a well-designed toString implementation can reduce the performance overhead.

Additionally, overusing toString can lead to inefficient code if it is invoked repeatedly in loops or performance-critical sections, which can cause a noticeable decrease in application speed and increased memory consumption.