Writing unit tests for memory leaks
As discussed, detection is the first step to addressing a memory leak. Tools such as profilers, debuggers, or heap analyzers, whether built-in or external, can track and analyze memory usage and allocation. These tools help you identify memory leaks by showing how much memory your program uses, where it is allocated, and how it changes over time. Beyond these tools, other formidable testing methods include unit tests.
Unit testing is primarily designed to verify the correctness of code, but it also plays a significant role in memory profiling and optimization. Developers can gain valuable insights into memory usage patterns and potential inefficiencies by integrating memory profiling within unit tests. These tests can simulate and measure memory leaks by running your code under different scenarios, inputs, or loads to check for memory leaks or errors. Unit tests for memory leaks typically involve creating objects, performing operations, and verifying...