memory-graph2

blog.pavlov.net/2008/03/11/firefox-3-memory-usage/
Safari crashes before completing the test :(

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Comments

jerkinted [deleted] says:

Should probably mention that Opera 9.5 is in beta 1 - the lack implies that it's a release version.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

jauderho says:

Pavlov, this is badass. :) Totally loving FF3b4.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Another word of note is that Opera has a automatic memory cache used for re-opening pages from the trash and fast history navigation. Try setting the memory cache to a fixed size, say 20MB, and re-run the test.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

mithaldu says:

Ran the tests on my own rig, Athlon XP 3k+, 1.25 GB Ram, Windows XP SP2, which should be representative of quite a few people:

--- IE8 just completly splurges: 208.100.30.120/dwarf/ie8.png
--- Safari somehow runs the test very oddly, always closing all windows before opening the next batch, and eventually crashes: 208.100.30.120/dwarf/safari.png
--- Firefox 3 Beta 4 runs it as expected, with a peak of 197 MB, an average of 190 MB and an end of 65 MB: 208.100.30.120/dwarf/firefox.png
--- Opera 9.5 Beta 1 with the memory cache set to automatic runs it a bit worse, and stalls on the VDO Cars page sometimes, thus the hiccups in the graphs. Peak of 213 MB, average of 190 MB and an end of 163 MB: 208.100.30.120/dwarf/opera_default.png
--- Opera 9.5 Beta 1 with the memory cache set to the lowest setting of 4 MB still stalls on VDO sometimes, gets a better memory usage though. Peak of 184 MB, average of 170 MB and end of 128 MB: 208.100.30.120/dwarf/opera_low_cache.png

Note: the numbers in the graph are each of the highest peak in the graph, while the measurement at the left is the current value.

Also note that the higher end value of Opera is down to an undo cache which can restore a closed tab completely from cache, without touching the web server at all.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

stuartp says:

_Mitchman_: Firefox has similar caches you can tune down for additional savings as well. We wanted the test to run with the default settings -- people shouldn't have to change their settings to have a fast and lean browser.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Dumas says:

What's the time scale?
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

mithaldu says:

Whatever "similar" caches Firefox has don't seem to be too effective, considering it still hits the server even with a 10 kbyte page.

Also, your claim about people not having to change settings is correct. Usually you do not need to change the cache settings in opera because the cache is automatic. That means it adapts itself to how much memory is available. As an Opera user i can dump it on a power machine or on an old timer and be sure that it's making the best of what it has without strangling the machine.

Will FF3 be capable of the same, or will it behave like the digital equivalent of a bulimic? =)
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

stuartp says:

Robert: Roughly 16 minutes until all the windows are closed. We purposefully put in a 3 second delay for all the pages so that would all take about the same amount of time in all browsers (as my post was about memory usage, not page load times (also, several browsers don't render all the pages correctly)) and didn't want to confuse anyone.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

stuartp says:

mithaldu: not sure I understand your last comment (any of it). I'm not super familiar with our bfcache code, but it wouldn't surprise me if we did an if-modified-since check on the page.

Per your own numbers, Firefox 3's peak with default settings is only slightly worse than Opera 9.5 beta with its caches significantly lowered and its low watermark at the end is half that of Opera. What exactly are you asking?
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

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memory-graph2

Comments

jerkinted [deleted] says:

jauderho says:

_Mitchman_ says:

mithaldu says:

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Robert Dumas says:

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