Scheduling for real-time garbage collection

Techniques are disclosed for schedule management. By way of example, a method for managing performance of tasks in threads associated with at least one processor comprises the following steps. One or more units of a first task type are executed. A count of the one or more units of the first task type executed is maintained. The count represents one or more credits accumulated by the processor for executing the one or more units of a first task type. One or more units of a second task type are executed. During execution of the one or more units of a second task type, a request to execute at least one further unit of the first task type is received. The amount of credits in the count is checked. When it is determined that there is sufficient credit in the count, the request to execute the at least one further unit of the first task type is forgone, and execution of the one or more units of the second task type continues. When it is determined that there is insufficient credit in the count, the at least one further unit of the first task type is executed. The first task type may be an overhead task type such as a garbage collection task type, and the second task type may be an application task type.