How do I install the Heap Snapshot Inspection skill?

Run npx skillmds add paulirish/heap-snapshot-inspection in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Heap Snapshot Inspection safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Heap Snapshot Inspection?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Heap Snapshot Inspection free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Heap Snapshot Inspection?

paulirish (@paulirish) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Heap Snapshot Inspection by paulirish

Name: Heap Snapshot Inspection
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: paulirish

File contents

Heap Snapshot Inspection Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for investigating memory issues in Chromium-based environments (Chrome, Node.js, Electron) using heap snapshots and the @paulirish/agents CLI.

Core Tooling

We use the @paulirish/agents package which includes the heap-snapshot CLI.

Usage Pattern

Always prefer using the CLI via npx to ensure the latest version and dependencies:

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot <command> [arguments]

Analysis Workflow

1. High-Level Summary

Start by getting an overview of the heap composition.

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot summary path/to/snapshot.heapsnapshot

2. Identifying Leaks (Diffing)

Compare two snapshots (e.g., before and after an action) to see what objects are growing.

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot diff baseline.heapsnapshot leak.heapsnapshot

3. Listing Specific Classes

If you suspect a specific class of objects (e.g., Detached DOM nodes or a specific constructor), list them.

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot list leak.heapsnapshot --class Detached

4. Inspecting Objects

Get details for a specific object by its ID.

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot inspect leak.heapsnapshot --id 12345

5. Retainer Analysis

Understand why an object is still in memory by looking at its retainers.

npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot retainers leak.heapsnapshot --id 12345

Best Practices

Capture Clean Snapshots: Before taking a snapshot, always perform a Garbage Collection (GC) if possible.
Isolate Reproductions: Use minimal test cases to make diffing more effective.
Focus on Retained Size: When listing objects, prioritize those with high retained size, as they are keeping other objects alive.
Look for "Detached": In web apps, "Detached" elements are a common source of leaks.

---name: heap-snapshot-inspectiondescription: Investigating memory issues and leaks in Chromium-based environments (Chrome, Node.js, Electron) using heap snapshots and the @paulirish/agents CLI.--- # Heap Snapshot Inspection Skill This skill provides expert guidance for investigating memory issues in Chromium-based environments (Chrome, Node.js, Electron) using heap snapshots and the `@paulirish/agents` CLI. ## Core Tooling We use the `@paulirish/agents` package which includes the `heap-snapshot` CLI. ### Usage Pattern Always prefer using the CLI via `npx` to ensure the latest version and dependencies: ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot <command> [arguments] ``` ## Analysis Workflow ### 1. High-Level Summary Start by getting an overview of the heap composition. ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot summary path/to/snapshot.heapsnapshot ``` ### 2. Identifying Leaks (Diffing) Compare two snapshots (e.g., before and after an action) to see what objects are growing. ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot diff baseline.heapsnapshot leak.heapsnapshot ``` ### 3. Listing Specific Classes If you suspect a specific class of objects (e.g., `Detached` DOM nodes or a specific constructor), list them. ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot list leak.heapsnapshot --class Detached ``` ### 4. Inspecting Objects Get details for a specific object by its ID. ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot inspect leak.heapsnapshot --id 12345 ``` ### 5. Retainer Analysis Understand why an object is still in memory by looking at its retainers. ```bash npx -y @paulirish/agents heap-snapshot retainers leak.heapsnapshot --id 12345 ``` ## Best Practices - **Capture Clean Snapshots**: Before taking a snapshot, always perform a Garbage Collection (GC) if possible. - **Isolate Reproductions**: Use minimal test cases to make diffing more effective. - **Focus on Retained Size**: When listing objects, prioritize those with high retained size, as they are keeping other objects alive. - **Look for "Detached"**: In web apps, "Detached" elements are a common source of leaks.

Frequently asked questions