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Claude Code users warned of memory leaks from improper session management

A developer experienced a system crash on their Mac due to improper usage of Claude Code, leading to eight processes consuming over 50 GB of memory. The issue stemmed from repeatedly using the `/clear` command, which only resets conversation context without closing the underlying process and its associated servers. This habit caused significant memory accumulation, especially with tools like Playwright running in the background, ultimately overwhelming the system. The recommended practice is to use `/exit` to properly close sessions and free resources, or `/compact` for long-running tasks, to prevent such memory leaks. AI

IMPACT Improper use of AI tools can lead to system instability and data loss, highlighting the need for clear user guidance on session management.

RANK_REASON User-reported issue with a specific AI product's functionality.

Read on dev.to — Claude Code tag →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 1 sources. How we write summaries →

COVERAGE [1]

  1. dev.to — Claude Code tag TIER_1 English(EN) · Amit ·

    /clear is not /exit — the session habit every Claude Code power user gets wrong

    <h2> TL;DR </h2> <ul> <li> <code>/clear</code> clears conversation context but leaves the process, MCP servers, and heap intact — eight sessions accumulated 50 GB of resident memory and crashed the machine.</li> <li>Playwright loaded globally adds 300–600 MB per session even when…