Part 3: Memory Allocation Inefficiencies in .NET | A Complete Technical Analysis

The .NET Performance Crisis Series

Memory allocation inefficiencies represent a fundamental performance challenge in .NET applications that extends far beyond simple memory leaks or excessive consumption. These inefficiencies manifest as patterns of unnecessary allocations, suboptimal memory usage, and poor garbage collection behavior that collectively degrade application performance, increase latency, and reduce scalability.

Understanding these patterns requires deep knowledge of the .NET memory model, garbage collection mechanisms, and the runtime’s allocation strategies.

The .NET runtime manages memory through a sophisticated system that divides allocations between different heap generations and memory regions. Small objects typically allocate on the Small Object Heap (SOH), while objects exceeding 85,000 bytes move to the Large Object Heap (LOH). This fundamental distinction creates the first layer of potential inefficiencies, as LOH allocations trigger more expensive collection cycles and can lead to memory fragmentation patterns that persist throughout application lifetime.