Critical Memory Leak in Claude Code 1.0.81

Install 1.0.80 Instead

If you updated Claude Code today, stop what you're doing and downgrade. Version 1.0.81, released just hours ago, contains a severe memory leak that will consume 80-120GB of RAM within 30-60 minutes. This isn't a minor inconvenience—it's a show-stopper that makes the tool completely unusable for real work.

The Problem

Claude Code 1.0.81 has an unbounded memory growth issue affecting macOS, Linux, and Windows. The process (appearing as "claude" or "node" in Activity Monitor) starts at around 300MB and grows to 2GB+ within five minutes. Give it an hour and you're looking at complete system lockup.

Based on GitHub issues #4953, #3282, and #3643, this regression has been escalating since July. Version 1.0.81 appears to be the worst yet.

The leak triggers consistently with:

• Extended coding sessions (30+ minutes)

• Projects with more than 50 files

• TypeScript projects (especially vulnerable)

• Running npm test on broken unit tests

• Using the /memory command (ironically)

Immediate Fix: Install 1.0.80

Version 1.0.80 remains stable. Here's how to get it:

Method 1: Native Installer (Recommended)

This avoids PATH issues and provides the cleanest installation:

# Install version 1.0.80 specifically
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash -s 1.0.80

# Add to PATH if needed
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# Verify installation
claude --version  # Should show: 1.0.80

# Disable auto-updates to prevent upgrading
claude
# Then use: /config
# Turn off auto-updates

Method 2: NPM Installation

If you prefer npm:

# Uninstall any existing version
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Install 1.0.80
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@1.0.80

# Verify
claude --version  # Should show: 1.0.80

NPM installations don't auto-update, so you're safe from accidental upgrades. Just avoid running npm update -g.

Windows Users

# Install version 1.0.80 specifically
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) 1.0.80

If You're Already Affected

If Claude Code is currently eating your RAM:

# Find and kill the process
ps aux | grep claude
kill -9 [PID]

# Or just nuke it
pkill -f claude

For ongoing work, implement memory limits:

# Launch with 4GB heap limit
NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096" claude

Workarounds for Continued Use

If you must use 1.0.81 (though I can't imagine why):

1. Restart every 30-45 minutes - Set a timer

2. Use /clear frequently - Reduces context memory

3. Break large projects into chunks - Work with <50 files at a time

4. Monitor memory actively - Kill the process before it hits 4GB

The Bigger Picture

This memory leak has been progressively worsening since July 3, 2025 (first reported in version 1.0.41). The cross-platform nature suggests a fundamental architectural problem rather than a platform bug. Version 1.0.53 was already hitting 120GB+ on Linux systems. Today's 1.0.81 release shows the issue remains unresolved despite supposed fixes in 1.0.28 and 1.0.34.

Community reports indicate this affects:

• Mac Mini M2 Pro systems running macOS Sequoia 15.5

• Various Intel and Apple Silicon configurations

• Linux systems with 128GB RAM

• Windows machines across different configurations

Bottom Line

Don't use Claude Code 1.0.81. Install 1.0.80 using the native installer method above and disable auto-updates. Monitor Anthropic's GitHub repository for an official fix, but given the escalating pattern since July, I wouldn't hold my breath for a quick resolution.

The 30-60 minute degradation pattern is predictable enough to work around with scheduled restarts, but nobody should have to babysit their development tools. Until Anthropic addresses this architectural issue, 1.0.80 remains the last usable version.

---

For ongoing updates on this issue, follow the GitHub issues or check @anthropic-ai/claude-code on npm. I'll update this post when a proper fix is released.