# Node-RED docker container. memory spike

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-docker-container-memory-spike/96797>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** docker\
**Created:** [29 April 2025 09:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-docker-container-memory-spike/96797 "2025-04-29T09:34:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@Jen](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Jen)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2025 09:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-docker-container-memory-spike/96797/1 "2025-04-29T09:34:18Z")

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Hello,  
I'm running **Node-RED inside a Docker container** and everything had been working fine for a long time. I haven’t made any recent changes to the flows or configuration. However, starting today, Node-RED is being **killed due to memory limit** being exceeded.  
The log ends with something like:  
`Killed /usr/local/bin/node $NODE_OPTIONS node_modules/node-red/red.js --userDir /data $FLOWS`  
I have not installed any new nodes or updated anything. The system had been stable for weeks.  
Now it crashes shortly after startup, especially when flows start running.

### **My setup:**

- Node-RED version: 3.1.0
- Memory available to container: 750Mi

### **What I've tried:**

- Restarting the container.
- Watching memory usage (it rises quickly).
- No new flows were deployed.

### Questions:

- What could be causing this sudden memory spike?
- How can I identify memory-heavy nodes or leaks?
- Would increasing `--max-old-space-size` help, or is this just masking the real issue?

Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated 🙏  
Thanks in advance!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [28 July 2025 09:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-docker-container-memory-spike/96797/2 "2025-07-28T09:34:47Z")

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