libcurl memory use some years later
3 months ago
- #memory optimization
- #curl
- #software development
- Gradual degradation in software development can lead to unnoticed issues over time, such as increased memory use.
- curl and libcurl prioritize minimal memory use and allocation count to ensure scalability and efficiency across billions of installations.
- A test case was added to curl's test suite in July 2025 to enforce fixed upper limits on the sizes of key structs, preventing unchecked growth.
- Comparison of struct sizes between curl 7.75.0 and current versions shows a mix of growth and reduction, with an overall decrease in memory use for certain scenarios.
- Memory usage for downloading a single 512MB file has slightly increased by 1.6%, with an 11% increase in allocation calls, but remains efficient considering feature additions.
- Parallel downloads show a linear increase in allocation calls but a sub-linear increase in memory usage, highlighting efficient scaling.
- TLS usage significantly increases memory allocations, but these are considered outside curl's optimization scope.
- Visualizations and data confirm that curl maintains efficient memory use despite added features and performance improvements.