Memory Leaks in Ruby on Rails

Strategies, Examples and Best Practices for Preventing Memory Leaks in Ruby on Rails

Memory leaks in Ruby on Rails applications can lead to deteriorating performance, increased response times, and even application crashes if not addressed properly. Understanding the causes and implementing strategies to prevent them is crucial for maintaining a healthy, efficient application. This article explores three main causes of memory leaks in Ruby on Rails and provides examples and strategies to prevent them.

Long-Lived Objects and Global Variables

One common source of memory leaks in Ruby on Rails applications is the improper use of long-lived objects, including global variables, constants, and class variables. These objects stay in memory for the application’s lifetime, potentially leading to memory bloat.

Example: Caching without an Eviction Policy

Solution: Use Rails Caching with Expiry

Instead of rolling your own caching mechanism, utilize Rails caching strategies that…