Claude Code Memory Leak Fix for Linux Homelabs
Memory Leak Details
A developer running a Proxmox homelab with 64 cores and 503GB RAM experienced repeated crashes when using Claude Code to manage VMs, GitLab, DNS, and other services. Despite upgrading to 500GB RAM, Claude Code consumed 400GB and crashed the entire system.
Memory dump analysis revealed:
- 1.15 billion identical 160-byte objects in heap
- Objects never freed (free=0)
- Growth rate of ~32,000 objects per second during active use
- Idle usage is normal
Technical Findings
The investigation uncovered:
- Claude Code is built on Bun runtime
- Uses two allocators: mimalloc + glibc malloc
- Leak is in glibc malloc side
- JavaScript-level fixes don't work due to allocator layer
- This has been an open issue for months with dozens of GitHub reports
Two-Tier Fix Solution
The developer created a Linux-only solution:
Tier 1 (10GB threshold): LD_PRELOAD shim that intercepts malloc(160) calls and caps growth. Zero overhead until threshold is reached.
Tier 2 (20GB threshold): Watchdog that restarts the session if Tier 1 isn't sufficient, acting as a safety net.
The fix is available at github.com/dalsoop/claude-code-memory-leak-fix.
📖 Read the full source: r/ClaudeAI
👀 See Also
ToolLoop: Open-Source Agent Framework for Claude-Style Tools with Any Model
ToolLoop is an open-source Python framework with 11 tools for file operations, code search, shell access, and sub-agents that works with any LLM through LiteLLM. The 2,700-line framework allows switching models mid-conversation with shared context.
DecisionNode: CLI and MCP Server for Semantic Decision Storage
DecisionNode is a local-only CLI and MCP server that stores structured decisions as JSON, embeds them as vectors for semantic search, and makes them accessible across AI tools via MCP. It's MIT licensed and designed to work with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Antigravity, and other MCP clients.
TradesMCP: Open Source MCP Server for Contractor License Verification and Construction Data
TradesMCP is an open source Model Context Protocol server that provides Claude with access to real contractor license data, building permits, material pricing, and labor rates. The tool correctly verified an active California contractor license where ChatGPT returned incorrect information.
E2a: Open-Source Email Gateway for AI Agents with SPF/DKIM Verification and Webhook/WebSocket Delivery
E2a is an authenticated email gateway for AI agents that verifies SPF/DKIM on inbound mail, delivers via webhook or WebSocket, and supports outbound email with human-in-the-loop approval.