# refcount proc

Source: https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/refcount
Added in BYOND 515.

### Format
> `refcount(Object)`

### Args
> Object: The object to get a reference count for

### Returns
> A count of references for the object.

This gets a reference count for a value, not including the reference that was placed on the stack while evaluating this proc.

A return value of 0 can mean one of several things: Either this was the last reference and the object was subsequently deleted after refcount(), or the value doesn't support reference counting.

> [!note]
> 
> A nonzero return value does not necessarily mean the object will be deleted when its count reaches zero; mobs for instance will not be soft-deleted by the garbage collector if their `key` var is set, and some objects like clients and areas never soft-delete. A zero value also does not necessarily mean the object is immortal; it may be transient, like the `args` list in a proc that only lives as long as that copy of the proc lives.

### See also
> [garbage collection](https://ref.dm-lang.org/DM/garbage.md)