I’m having a weird problem with my Vue Vite project. The dev server keeps crashing because it’s using too much memory. But here’s the strange part:
When I check the memory usage with tools like node --inspect or clinic.js heapprofiler, they show the heap is only using about 200MB. But my computer says the process is eating up several gigabytes!
I’m confused about why there’s such a big difference between what the profilers say and what my computer says. Does anyone know why this might be happening? Could it give me a clue about where the memory leak is?
The weirdest part is that this happens even when I’m not doing anything with the dev server. It just sits there and the memory keeps growing. I’m using Node v22.13.1 on an M1 Mac, so I can’t use node-memwatch.
Has anyone run into something like this before? Any ideas on how to track down what’s causing it?
This discrepancy between OS and Node inspector reports is intriguing. It suggests the issue might be outside the JavaScript heap, possibly in native memory allocations or memory-mapped files. Vite’s dependency on esbuild, which is written in Go, could be a factor. Go’s garbage collector behaves differently from Node’s, potentially leading to memory retention not visible to Node’s tools.
I’ve encountered similar issues with large projects. One approach that helped was using the --max-old-space-size flag to increase Node’s memory limit. This sometimes revealed hidden memory issues. Additionally, monitoring the process with external tools like ps or top over time can provide insights into overall memory growth patterns.
Consider also checking for memory leaks in your Vue components, especially if you’re using a lot of watchers or complex reactive setups. Sometimes, circular references in component trees can cause unexpected memory retention.
hm, sounds like a tricky one. have u tried using external monitoring tools like vtune or heaptrack? they might give u a better picture of whats going on outside the js heap. also, check if ur using any native modules or addons - those can sometimes cause memory issues that node tools miss. good luck debugging!
interesting problem! have u considered checking for memory leaks in ur dependencies? sometimes third-party packages can cause weird memory issues. maybe try running the dev server with minimal plugins and see if the problem persists? also, whats ur project size like? large codebases can sometimes trigger unexpected behavior in vite. curious to hear more about ur setup!