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Google Cloud Profiler

cloud.google.com

Free plan WebLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.8 #13 of 29 in Profiling Software

What it is

Google Cloud Profiler is a free sampling profiler for examining resource use in production applications. Its profiling agent gathers CPU usage and memory allocation data and attributes that information to source code. A Google Cloud console displays and analyzes the collected profiles. Supported languages are Go, Java, Node.js, and Python, with profile types varying by language. Available types include CPU time, heap, allocated heap, contention, threads, and wall time. Deployment options include Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, App Engine, Managed Service for Apache Spark, Dataflow, and some environments outside Google Cloud, depending on language. The listed operating systems are Linux with glibc and, for some configurations, Linux with musl. Google states that CPU and heap collection overhead is under 5%, commonly under 0.5% when averaged across execution time and service replicas. Profiles are retained for 30 days and can be downloaded for longer storage. Cloud Profiler supports VPC Service Controls; quotas and limits apply.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Cloud Profiler continuously gathers CPU usage and memory allocation information from production applications and attributes it to source code to help identify resource-intensive code.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Intended users
The product is designed to help teams analyze resource consumption and performance in production applications.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Security
Cloud Profiler is a VPC Service Controls supported service.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Console and agent
Cloud Profiler consists of a profiling agent that collects data and a Google Cloud console interface for viewing and analyzing it.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Deployment environments
Supported environments include Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, App Engine, Managed Service for Apache Spark, Dataflow, and environments outside Google Cloud, with language-specific availability.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Low overhead
Google states that CPU and heap profiling overhead during collection is less than 5%, and commonly less than 0.5% when averaged across execution time and service replicas.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Operating systems
The supported operating systems listed are Linux with glibc, and Linux with musl for some languages and configurations.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Profile types
Available profile types include CPU time, heap, allocated heap, contention, threads, and wall time, with language-specific support for each.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Retention
Profile data is retained for 30 days, and profiles can be downloaded for long-term storage.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com
Supported languages
The profiler supports Go, Java, Node.js, and Python, with available profile types varying by language.Read 2 Oct 2026 · docs.cloud.google.com

Plans and prices

Cloud Profiler Free There is no cost associated with using Cloud Profiler. Profile data retained for 30 days; quotas and limits apply Read 2 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com

Every Google Cloud Profiler plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free profiling service
  • Attributes profiles to source code
  • Supports Go, Java, Node.js, and Python
  • Provides CPU and memory profiling
  • Profiles can be downloaded

Limits

  • Profile data is retained for 30 days
  • Profile types vary by language
  • Linux operating systems are listed
  • Quotas and limits apply

Who it suits

Cloud Profiler suits teams analyzing CPU, memory, thread, and related resource consumption in production services. It fits supported languages and Linux-based deployment environments.

Verdict

Cloud Profiler combines an agent with a console for production resource analysis and lists several deployment environments. Language-specific profile availability and 30-day retention are key planning details.

Where Specifiction places it

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