Why Your WebSocket Connections Are Leaking Memory

WebSockets power real-time features like live chat and dashboards, but every open connection can silently leak memory in your Node.js backend. This episode walks through a real case from a fintech startup whose dashboard latency doubled after 200 concurrent users. Lucas explains how event listeners, closure references, and unresolved promises inside WebSocket handlers create memory leaks that garbage collection can't fix. Luna shares a surprising data point: a single unclosed WebSocket handler can retain up to 2 MB of heap memory per user. They discuss practical fixes — using WeakRef for listener cleanup, implementing heartbeat-based connection draining, and profiling WebSocket memory with Chrome DevTools and clinic.js. By the end, you'll know exactly what to look for in your ws or Socket.IO setup before your production app starts gasping. #WebSocket #MemoryLeak #NodeJS #Backend #RealTimeApps #JavaScript #WebDev #Performance #Debugging #GC #HeapMemory #WeakRef #SocketIO #ClinicJS #Fintech #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo