Programmatically get memory usage in Chrome

Question

How can I programmatically get memory usage (JS and total) of my website in Google Chrome?

I looked at doing it from a Chrome extension using the undocumented HeapProfiler (see here), but I can't find a way to get data from that.

I want to measure the memory consumption it at every release, so this needs to be programmatic.

EDIT: I figured out how to get the HeapProfiler method to work. Each addHeapSnapshotChunk event has a chunk of a JSON object.

chrome.browserAction.onClicked.addListener(function(tab) { var heapData, debugId = {tabId:tab.id}; chrome.debugger.attach(debugId, '1.0', function() { chrome.debugger.sendCommand(debugId, 'Debugger.enable', {}, function() { function headerListener(source, name, data) { if(source.tabId == tab.id && name == 'HeapProfiler.addProfileHeader') { function chunkListener(source, name, data) { if(name == 'HeapProfiler.addHeapSnapshotChunk') { heapData += data.chunk; } else if(name == 'HeapProfiler.finishHeapSnapshot') { chrome.debugger.onEvent.removeListener(chunkListener); chrome.debugger.detach(debugId); //do something with data console.log('Collected ' + heapData.length + ' bytes of JSON data'); } } chrome.debugger.onEvent.addListener(chunkListener); chrome.debugger.sendCommand(debugId, 'HeapProfiler.getHeapSnapshot', {uid:data.header.uid, type:data.header.typeId}); } chrome.debugger.onEvent.removeListener(headerListener); } chrome.debugger.onEvent.addListener(headerListener); chrome.debugger.sendCommand(debugId, 'HeapProfiler.takeHeapSnapshot'); }); }); });

When parsed, the JSON has nodes, edges, and descriptive metadata about the node and edge types and fields.

Alternatively, I could use Timeline events if I just want totals.

That said, are there any better ways than what I've found out here?

I'm not sure how much details do you require, but have you checked the window.performance object? It gives a brief overview of memory usage and doesn't require extension to be accessed. — Konrad Dzwinel
– Konrad Dzwinel, Commented Aug 27, 2013 at 7:22
I have, specifically window.performance.memory. It doesn't seem to match the heap profile, though. I actually don't need a lot of details; the total memory usage would be sufficient. — Paul Draper
– Paul Draper, Commented Aug 28, 2013 at 4:55

bcherny · Accepted Answer · 2016-05-03 17:45:06Z

32

For anyone that finds this in the future, since version 20 Chrome supports window.performance.memory, which returns something like:

{ totalJSHeapSize: 21700000, usedJSHeapSize: 13400000, jsHeapSizeLimit: 1620000000 }

answered May 3, 2016 at 17:45

bcherny

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5 Comments

mate.gvo Over a year ago

I've been trying this out, and the values don't change for me, even before and after creating a 1,000,000+ keys/values object...

Pavel Vlasov Over a year ago

try to start Chrome with CLI flag –-enable-precise-memory-info.

David Over a year ago

@Pavel Vlasov correct version: --enable-precise-memory-info

David Over a year ago

Ok, this does work, but you must make sure no chrome.exe process was running before.

Mazdak Over a year ago

in typescript, you may not find window.performance.memory. use (window.performance as any).memory.

Sean · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-06 11:07:46Z

An alternative approach: write a web page scraper pointing to this URL:

chrome://system/

(note: in case this URL changes again, this is the 'master' URL that lists all the chrome diagnostic pages: chrome://chrome-urls/

the page has a section 'mem_usage' that gives details of memory usage.

maybe there is some way to script Chrome as a user (say in AutoIT or Python?) that loads this URL in Chrome, and then presses the Update button, and then parses the JSON to get the memory usage for whatever tabs you are interested in.

OTHER approaches:

from JavaScript - use window.performance
from JavaScript - use browser-report.js -

https://www.npmjs.com/package/browser-report

Brian Schlenker · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-15 19:42:13Z

The chrome dev channel has a process api, chrome.process. You can query it for a tab's process information, which includes all kinds of memory information. http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/processes.html

Is there a way to call this API from outside of the browser?

gaitat · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 00:16:48Z

2

There is a js library for that: https://github.com/spite/memory-stats.js

answered Jul 3, 2015 at 0:16

gaitat

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Comments

kskashyap94 · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-08 09:23:23Z

Just an update on this thread: Starting chrome 83, performance.measureMemory() seems to be most reliable way to get memory information on chrome. It gives us the exact memory information even if the same heap is shared by multiple web pages!!. You can find more info at: https://web.dev/monitor-total-page-memory-usage/

Renamed to performance.measureUserAgentSpecificMemory starting with Chrome 89. This feature may not always be enabled by default, see the post's link.

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