---
title: Introduction
framework: performance
role: article
path: apple-archive/documentation/Performance/Conceptual/ManagingMemory
---

# Introduction

Guidelines for improving the performance of memory-related code.

## Organization of This Document

This programming topic includes the following articles:

- [About the Virtual Memory System](Articles/AboutMemory.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001880-BCICIHAB) introduces the terminology and provides a high-level overview of the virtual memory systems of OS X and iOS. - [Tips for Allocating Memory](Articles/MemoryAlloc.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001881-CJBCFDGA) describes the best techniques for allocating, initializing, and copying memory. It also describes the proper ways to respond to low-memory notifications in iOS. - [Caching and Purgeable Memory](Articles/CachingandPurgeableMemory.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40013104-SW1) discusses the benefits of caching, and how to avoid some of the problems that can arise from implementing caches. It also details the advantages of implementing purgeable memory into a caching system and how to successfully implement this beneficial technology. - [Tracking Memory Usage](Articles/FindingPatterns.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001882-CJBJFIDD) describes the tools and techniques for analyzing your application’s memory usage. - [Finding Memory Leaks](Articles/FindingLeaks.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001883-CJBJFIDD) describes the tools and techniques for finding memory leaks in your application. - [Enabling the Malloc Debugging Features](Articles/MallocDebug.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001884-CJBJFIDD) describes the environment variables used to enable malloc history logging. You must set some of these variables before using some of the memory analysis tools. - [Viewing Virtual Memory Usage](Articles/VMPages.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/20001985-CJBJFIDD) describes the tools and techniques for analyzing your application’s in-memory footprint.

[Next](Articles/AboutMemory.html)

Copyright © 2003, 2013 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved. [Terms of Use](http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](http://www.apple.com/privacy/) | Updated: 2013-04-23