Godot Deletion Guide

deletion_guide.gd

# Reference in GDScript:
# The refcount is incremented on assign, pass as argument, etc. It's decremented...:
# Members: when the instance is freed.
# Locals: it's a bit weird in this case though. You would expect it to be on scope
#         exit like in C++, but it's actually on function return. However, and this
#         is the weird part, if there are two locals at the same stack address, the
#         refcount is decremented when the latter local is first assigned. e.g.:

func hello_there():
    if whatever:
        var myref = Reference.new()
        print(myref)
    # myref is still alive here, after exiting its scope. it's not visible though
    return # the refcount for myref is decremented here, it's freed since it reaches 0

func oh_its_you():
    if whatever:
        var myref = Reference.new()
        print(myref)
    # myref is still alive here, after exiting its scope. it's not visible though
    if whatever:
        # myint is on the same stack address as myref,
        # therefore it replaces the Variant at that address.
        # the previous Variant at that stack address (the one for myref) dies,
        # so the refcount for myref is decremented here instead
        var myint = 10
        print(myint)
    return