Every day we try to find new ways to improve developer experience with IntelliJ IDEA. It may be a bugfix, a performance improvement, or a new feature (usually in this order). Today we’d like to introduce a new plugin called JVM Debugger Memory View.
The plugin extends the built-in debugger with capabilities to explore objects in the JVM heap during a debug session. The Memory View shows you the total number of objects in the heap grouped by their class name.
To open the tool window, use the main menu: View → Tool Windows → Memory View.
When you’re stepping over the code, the Diff column shows how the number of objects changes between debugger stops. This way you can easily see how the code you’re stepping over affects the heap.
A double click on a class name, opens a dialog with instances of this class.
The dialog lets you filter instances by an evaluated expression. All debugger operations such as Inspect, Mark Object, Evaluate Expression, Add to Watches, etc can be applied to instances in this dialog.
To install the plugin, open Settings → Plugins, click Install JetBrains plugin and search for “JVM Debugger Memory View”.
UPDATE: The plugin is now available for IntelliJ IDEA 2016.1 and Android studio 2.2.
Found a bug or miss a feature? Your feedback is very welcome in the issue tracker.
Develop with Pleasure!
Please split screen in the Run and Terminal menu, it’ll make debugging client and server easier
http://i.imgur.com/R4J1UfO.png
There’s an open issue for this, go vote on it
https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-130374
I’m eager to see this implement myself!
couldn’t find the plugin, is it not available on community edition?
nithin, The plugin is available for Community Edition, too (starting from 2016.2). You need to install it with “Install JetBrains plugin” action from the plugins settings section.
I also can’t find it in my “Install JetBrains plugin” section in preferences. I’m on 2016.1.2 if that matters at all.
You need version 2016.2.+ (not 2016.1.2).
Please, install the latest version: https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/
Is the diff column per thread?!
For example I stop for some break point, is there a way to know allocated object for my current thread only?
Or maybe: do we have a way to filter diff object with a rule?
Frederic, no, the ‘Diff’ column is one per JVM.
Currently, there is no way to see objects allocated from the current thread only.
Thanks for you questions.
I must be missing something obvious but I cannot figure out how to open the Memory View window. I installed the plugin. IntelliJ says that it is installed and enabled when I check using the Plugins section of the Settings window. I set a breakpoint in a fairly simple app at a point where there should be at least a few interesting things allocated and launched the app within the IDEA debugger. I’m now at the breakpoint and I simply cannot see _anything_ that lets me launch the Memory View window.
My Mac is is running Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6. The “About IntelliJIDEA” window reports
Any idea what’s going wrong or what I’m missing?
IntelliJ IDEA 2016.2.2
Build #IU-162.1628.40, built on August 16, 2016
Licensed to Daniel Boulet
Subscription is active until December 30, 2016
JRE: 1.8.0_76-release-b216 x86_64
JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
I have just the same issue, no Memory view.
http://imgur.com/a/RNfaN
OSX El Capitan 10.11.6
http://imgur.com/a/0k8zz
I am experiencing the same problem. I have installed the plugin and restarted the computer (just to make sure) and when I hit a stop point I don’t see anything to indicate memory. Everything looks like it used too.
IntelliJ IDEA 2016.2.2
Build #IU-162.1628.40, built on August 16, 2016
Licensed to ##### / Ben #####
You have perpetual fallback license for this version
Subscription is active until November 20, 2016
JRE: 1.8.0_45-b15 amd64
JVM: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM by Oracle Corporation
There is nothing here either. Running Linux Mint 17.3 cinnamon 2.8.8
IntelliJ IDEA 2016.2.2
Build #IU-162.1628.40, built on August 16, 2016
Licensed to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subscription is active until February 8, 2017
JRE: 1.8.0_76-release-b216 amd64
JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
Discussion of this problem: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-160078
Summary: need to open “Memory view” tool window. (View | Tool Windows | Memory View)
How come
java.lang.successfully filters and shows all the objects in java.lang , but once you typejava.lang.S(if you were trying to show java.lang.String instances, for example) all the results disappear?Anyways, this is pretty cool.
Will be fixed in the next version, thanks a lot.
Is there any chance to get this for other platforms too? I’d love to see it for PHP!
We are not having such plans at the moment. Perhaps, it will be done later
[82552352] WARN – openapi.wm.impl.ToolWindowImpl – ToolWindow icons should be 13×13. Please fix ToolWindow (ID: Memory View) or icon file:/home/ar/.IntelliJIdea2016.2/config/plugins/jvm-memory-view/classes/icons/main.png
Very cool, is this coming to Android Studio? I’m running version 2.1.3, and I don’t see it when I perform the search under “Install JetBrains plugin…”
At the moment, plugin is not available for Android Studio.
We are planning to release a beta version (with some restrictions) for AS 2.2
Has the plugin been removed due to all of the errors reported? I cannot seem to find it:
Settings → Plugins, click Install JetBrains plugin and search for “JVM Debugger Memory View”.
No, plugin is available. This comment may useful for you https://blog.jetbrains.com/idea/2016/08/jvm-debugger-memory-view-for-intellij-idea/#comment-383643
Is there any way to show the shallow and deep (retained) heap usage for each instance?
Thanks.
No.
Evaluation of the retained size for all instances works dramatically slow through the debugger API. Shallow size without retained is not very useful, therefore the plugin does not provide this feature
In the memory view window I could see nothing. My application is running in debug mode
Memory view shows classes only when the debugger is paused (at breakpoint, for example).
If memory view tool window still empty, please report a bug: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issues?q=project:%20%7BIntelliJ%20IDEA%7D%20Subsystem:%20%7BDebugger.%20Memory%20View%7D%20%23Unresolved%20
Can other extensions for the built in jvm debugger be developed by non-jetbrains developers?
Yes, everybody can make a plugin which reuses the code of the JVM debugger
This plugin is awesome and I write an article about using it with Android Studio:
https://medium.com/@m_mirhoseini/a-useful-memory-debugger-plugin-for-android-studio-2d9d95bddc24#.2oi3cv5hw
Would be great to see the actual size of the collections/objects in the Memory View.
Might not be very easy to do. Submitted to our issue tracker: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-172317
couldn’t find the plugin, is it not available on 2017.1.2?
It has been bundled with IntelliJ IDEA since 2017.1.
Andrey, is it bundled with IntelliJ Idea community edition?
It does not appear under “File->Tool Windows” for me.
I believe it’s now a part of the Debugger tool window. Please check.
I’m on 2017.2.4. I did something to cause a standalone (undocked) Memory View window to pop up each time I debug an application. It’s not listed in my Tool windows. You say it’s now “a part of the Debugger tool window”. However, I don’t see it mentioned in the doc at https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/debug-tool-window.html. I want to get rid of the window (not have it pop up each time I debug) but can’t seem to find where it’s configured to pop up. Ideas?
You need to attach this undocked Memory view window anywhere in the “Debug” tool window or just use the “Restore Default Layout” action.
Is there any way to use this tool to analyze a heap dump taken from another JVM instance that the debugger is not currently connected to? E.g. load a heap dump from a file?
No, this is impossible at the moment.
Is this available in the latest community edition?
This is my version and I cannot find it.
IntelliJ IDEA 2017.2.5
Build #IC-172.4343.14, built on September 26, 2017
JRE: 1.8.0_152-release-915-b12 amd64
JVM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
Linux 4.4.87-25-default
Idk! We could not find it either!
Carlos, Yes, this is available. The view was integrated with the “Debug” tool window since 2017.1. See this screenshot to find it https://plugins.jetbrains.com/files/8537/screenshot_16824.png.
Can this tool, or is there another tool that can, open saved heap dumps?
The new IDEA integrates the memory view, but it will stop the memory activity. If the debugging starts the h2 in-memory database, the debugger will not be able to access the h2 database when it reaches the breakpoint.
I would like to know if IDEA can develop plug-in that can view database schema Erm