Safari memory leak?

[Transmission.ap]

At this moment, I had Safari open since I first booted the machine (2011 MBAir). Only one tab (facebook) currently, the lateral bar with news and so on, etc.

I understand that newer versions of OS X eat as much RAM as they can, in order to cache files and apps. We only have a RAM-starved Mac when the swap file size grows to much more than 1 GB.

After using Chrome since forever, Safari has won me over. Just like most Apple software, I find it to be extremely slick and better than the competition (better battery life, snappier, gestures work better, looks better, better functionality for me (reader mode, reading list, newsfeed, etc.) but, just like most Apple Software, some issues appear that makes me believe that it is time to make all built-in Apps have a place on the MAS and take their sweet time between OS releases, like 2 years or more.

But focussing on Safari (the most up-to-date version, with Java and Flash), am I witnessing a huge memory leak (safari.app)? What about Facebook eating more than 300 MB of RAM? Is it all cache from endless scrolling?

p.s: Does it correctly sync favicons from youtube?

 

[Meister]

I understand that newer versions of OS X eat as much RAM as they can, in order to cache files and apps. We only have a RAM-starved Mac when the swap file size grows to much more than 1 GB.

This statement is unfounded.

Swap Used: The space used on your startup drive by OS X memory management. It's normal to see some activity here. As long as memory pressure is not in the red state, OS X has memory resources available.

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201464

There is something funky going on.
I have never seen memory pressure like this from safari and iTunes only.

 

[GGJstudios]

At this moment, I had Safari open since I first booted the machine (2011 MBAir). Only one tab (facebook) currently, the lateral bar with news and so on, etc.

I understand that newer versions of OS X eat as much RAM as they can, in order to cache files and apps. We only have a RAM-starved Mac when the swap file size grows to much more than 1 GB.

You have RAM available, so there's no need to watch it closely. It is quite normal for all of your memory to be in use by OS X. It does not mean that you are running out of memory or that it is maxed out. OS X will manage all available memory, making it available to apps on an as-needed basis. Refer to the following Apple support article for more information on how to understand your Activity Monitor readings.

OS X Mavericks: About Activity Monitor​

The combination of Free, Wired, Active, Inactive & Used memory statistics in previous versions of Activity Monitor have been replaced in Mavericks with an easy to read "Memory Pressure" graph.
Memory pressure is indicated by color:

• Green – RAM memory resources are available.
• Amber – RAM memory resources are being tasked.
• Red – RAM memory resources are depleted and OS X is using the drive for memory.

 

[Meister]

You have RAM available, so there's no need to watch it closely. It is quite normal for all of your memory to be in use by OS X. It does not mean that you are running out of memory or that it is maxed out. OS X will manage all available memory, making it available to apps on an as-needed basis. Refer to the following Apple support article for more information on how to understand your Activity Monitor readings.

OS X Mavericks: About Activity Monitor​

While I agree that it is technically still in the green, I've never seen the graph that high from safari and itunes alone.

@OP what exactly are doing in iTunes.

 

[boast]

Ive had something similar, leaving feedly.com open, I would have over 4GB being used by just that one tab. But since about 80% of it was compressed, I don't think much of it (I also bought more memory)

 

[GGJstudios]

While I agree that it is technically still in the green, I've never seen the graph that high from safari and itunes alone.

@OP what exactly are doing in iTunes.

Looks quite normal to me:

​

 

[Meister]

Looks quite normal to me:

View attachment 523344​

But what does the pressure graph look like?
I use two machines with 4gb and they never look like that.

 

[GGJstudios]

But what does the pressure graph look like?
I use two machines with 4gb and they never look like that.

Green, just like the OP's.

 

[Transmission.ap]

While I agree that it is technically still in the green, I've never seen the graph that high from safari and itunes alone.

@OP what exactly are doing in iTunes.

Just playing some Depeche Mode (maybe with podcasts and iTunes U syncing?). there's 1.5GB of cached apps, and that's fine.

What is bothering me is the huge amount of integrated memory. I have an HD3000 with 384 MB of integrated memory, why is more than 1GB integrated?

Ive had something similar, leaving feedly.com open, I would have over 4GB being used by just that one tab. But since about 80% of it was compressed, I don't think much of it (I also bought more memory)

But that should be included on the feedly tab, no? Here is Safari app growing and growing to 1 GB. Facebook is there, eating 300 MB.

Looks quite normal to me:

View attachment 523344​

Green, just like the OP's.

Is it normal to have safari.app eating so much RAM? Apple should be clearer to explain when the system is starving or not. Many users see OS X eating some GB and quickly state how things are better in Windows because the task manager shows that the OS uses so few resources.

 

[GGJstudios]

Is it normal to have safari.app eating so much RAM?

Yes, depending on what tabs and websites you have open and what the content is. It's no cause for concern. Your memory usage appears quite normal.

 

[Meister]

Apple should be clearer to explain when the system is starving or not. Many users see OS X eating some GB and quickly state how things are better in Windows because the task manager shows that the OS uses so few resources.

explains it crystal clear in the link I've posted.

Green, yellow = fine
Red = starving

Like traffic lights.

 

[Transmission.ap]

Yes, depending on what tabs and websites you have open and what the content is. It's no cause for concern. Your memory usage appears quite normal.

explains it crystal clear in the link I've posted.

Green, yellow = fine
Red = starving

Like traffic lights.

Thank you. However, can any of you please explain why do I have 1.5 GB of integrated RAM when the iGPU is only 384MB? (HD 3000, 2011 Air)

 

[GGJstudios]

Thank you. However, can any of you please explain why do I have 1.5 GB of integrated RAM when the iGPU is only 384MB? (HD 3000, 2011 Air)

The amount of integrated (wired) RAM is not related to the GPU. It is fixed memory used by OS X and apps. The amount will vary over time.

Wired Memory: Memory that can’t be compressed or paged out to your startup drive, so it must stay in RAM. The memory used by a process can’t be borrowed by other processes. The amount of wired memory used by an app is determined by the app's programmer.

 

[Meister]

Thank you. However, can any of you please explain why do I have 1.5 GB of integrated RAM when the iGPU is only 384MB? (HD 3000, 2011 Air)

GGJStudios explanation answers your question.

Why are concerned about this?
Why are trying to figure out the meaning of the numbers in the activitor monitor?
What problems are you experiencing?