How to Debug Memory Leaks in Node.js Applications?

Memory leaks can severely affect the performance of your Node.js application. Here’s how to debug them:

• Use Node.js Built-in Tools: You can leverage Node’s built-in inspector. Start your application with:

node --inspect app.js

• Use Chrome DevTools: Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://inspect. Click on 'Open dedicated DevTools for Node'.
• Take Heap Snapshots: In the DevTools, go to the 'Memory' tab and take heap snapshots at different intervals. Compare these snapshots to identify memory allocations.
• Analyze the Results: Look for objects that are not being garbage collected. This indicates a potential memory leak.

By following these steps, you can effectively identify and resolve memory leaks in your Node.js application.