How to Fix JavaScript Heap Out of Memory Error
A common problem while working on a JavaScript Node.js project is the “JavaScript heap out of memory” error. This error usually occurs when the default memory allocated by your system to Node.js is not enough to run a large project.
The error is common whether you run your project on Windows, macOS, or a Linux distribution like Ubuntu. Luckily, there are a few easy fixes that can help resolve the “JavaScript heap out of memory” or “reached heap limit allocation failed” error.
What Is Heap Memory?
Before you look at fixing the error, it’s useful tounderstand what heap memory isand how programs use it.
Memory allocated on the system heap is also called dynamically allocated memory. It’s up to the programmer to use the available memory as they see fit. More importantly, the heap size for a program depends on the available virtual memory allocated to it.
If you’re running a relatively-large project, it may require more memory than the default allocated chunk. This may cause your project to crash and log the “JavaScript heap out of memory” error. The heap memory issue in Node.js can also be caused by an invalid page table size and issues with the function call stack.
The following error logs indicate heap memory issues within the Node.js runtime:
How to Fix JavaScript Heap Out of Memory on Windows
Regardless of your IDE, the fix to “JavaScript heap out of memory” for the Node.js fix is identical.
You canadd an environment variable through Control Panelto increase the memory allocated to a Node.js project.
you’re able to also set an environment variable through a Windows PowerShell terminal.
Launch a PowerShell terminal, type the below command and press Enter:
If you only want to increase the heap memory temporarily, run the below command in a PowerShell terminal before running your project:
Once you’ve entered this command, you can deploy/run your project usingnpm run devor your own script.
Remember always to enter the required memory size in MB. Not doing so can cause unexpected behavior in your program. It is also vital not to allocate your entire available memory as this can cause a significant system failure.
How to Fix JavaScript Heap Out of Memory Error on macOS and Linux
On macOS and Linux, the “JavaScript heap out of memory” fix is very similar. You shouldexport an environment variablethat specifies the amount of virtual memory allocated to Node.js.
In your terminal, before you run your project, enter the following command and press Enter:
This will allocate 4GB of virtual memory to the execution space of Node.js. To set a different amount of memory, replace4096with the required amount in MB.
you may add the above command to your configuration file to avoid repeating the process. To do so, follow the sameprocess for setting your PATH variable.
Avoid JavaScript Heap Out of Memory Error
You can avoid this error by ensuring your program is free of memory leaks. Proper memory management is crucial when writing your programs, especially in a low-level language.
While increasing the allocated memory will temporarily fix the problem, you should find the root cause and fix it.
Memory leaks can significantly impact the performance of your computer. But what exactly are they, and why do they happen?
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