.NET MemViewer

Visualize .NET Core memory with precision.

.NET MemViewer is a powerful VS Code extension designed for developers to inspect, analyze, and visualize the memory state of .NET applications in real-time. Whether you are debugging a live session or attaching to a running production process, MemViewer provides deep insights into stack frames, heap objects, and their complex relationships.

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

To capture live data, the following .NET diagnostic tools should be installed globally:

# Required for stack trace collection
dotnet tool install -g dotnet-stack

# Required for heap snapshot collection
dotnet tool install -g dotnet-gcdump

# Optional: For deep memory dumps
dotnet tool install -g dotnet-dump

Note: If these tools are not found, MemViewer will offer to load Demo Data so you can still explore the visualization features.

Installation

1. Install the .vsix package into VS Code.
2. Click on the ⚡ .NET MemViewer icon in the Activity Bar to open the sidebar.

🛠️ How to Use

1. Connecting to a Process

There are two ways to start profiling:

• Active Debugging: If you are already debugging a .NET application in VS Code, MemViewer will automatically detect it. Look for the "🔴 LIVE DEBUG" badge.
• Select Process: Click the 🔍 icon in the Processes view to list all running .NET processes on your machine and attach to one.

2. Capturing Memory

Once connected, use the buttons in the sidebar or the status bar:

• Capture Snapshot: Takes a point-in-time "photo" of the threads and the managed heap.
• Capture Debug Snapshot: Specifically tuned for active VS Code debug sessions, providing the highest fidelity for local variables.

3. Navigating the Visualizer

Snapshots open in a rich, interactive dashboard with three specialized views:

• Stack & Heap Tab:
  • Threads List: See all managed threads. Status dots indicate if a thread is Running (Green), Waiting (Orange), or Stopped (Red).
  • Local Variables: Inspect primitive values and follow object references. Clicking a red arrow → 0x... will jump to that specific object's details.
  • Heap Object Inspector: View fields, their values, and see both "References" (what this object points to) and "Referenced By" (what points to this object).
• Heap Graph Tab:
  • A visual representation of object ownership.
  • Nodes are colored by Generation: Gen 0 (Green), Gen 1 (Yellow), Gen 2 (Red).
  • Great for spotting circular references or large object clusters.
• Statistics Tab:
  • High-level overview: Total Heap Size, Object Count, and Generation distribution.
  • Type Table: Sortable list of all types on the heap. Perfect for identifying memory leaks by finding types with unexpectedly high instance counts.

4. Advanced Filtering

The search bar supports powerful filtering:

• Type User in the filter chips to hide system/framework threads.
• Search for a method name (e.g., GetData) to find all threads currently executing that logic.
• Search for a value (e.g., "Sample") to find variables containing that specific data.

[!TIP] For more in-depth workflows like troubleshooting memory leaks and deadlocks, check out our Detailed Usage Guide.

🧹 Management & Cleanup

You can manage your workspace with dedicated clear options:

• Clear Process List: Click the $(clear-all) icon in the Processes view to refresh and reset the discovered processes.
• Clear Snapshots: Click the $(trash) icon in the Snapshots view to wipe your history of captures.
• Reset Live Memory: Use the 🔄 Reset Live button inside the visualizer to detach from the current process and reset the tracking state.

❓ Troubleshooting

• No Processes Found: Ensure your .NET applications are running and that you have sufficient permissions. On Linux/macOS, you might need to run VS Code with elevated permissions or configure the .NET diagnostic port.
• Capture Fails: Check if dotnet-stack or dotnet-gcdump is in your system PATH.
• UI is Empty: Click the Refresh button in the Processes view or try Load Demo Data to verify the visualizer is working.

🎨 Aesthetics

• Vibrant Design: Uses a custom dark-theme optimized for readability.
• Micro-animations: Smooth transitions and pulses for live status indicators.
• Glassmorphism: Modern UI components with subtle transparency and gradients.

📜 License

Developed by Arun Sakthivel. Distributed under the MIT License.