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Google Cloud Profiler
What it is
Google Cloud Profiler is a profiling service for examining resource use in production applications. Its agent continuously gathers CPU usage and memory allocation information, attributes it to source code, and sends it to a Google Cloud console interface for viewing and analysis. Supported languages are Go, Java, Node.js, and Python, though available profile types vary by language. Those types include CPU time, heap, allocated heap, contention, threads, and wall time. Supported deployment environments include Compute Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, App Engine, Managed Service for Apache Spark, Dataflow, and environments outside Google Cloud, with availability dependent on language. The listed operating systems are Linux with glibc and, for some languages and configurations, Linux with musl. Google states that CPU and heap collection overhead is below 5%, and commonly below 0.5% when averaged across execution time and service replicas. Use is free, but quotas and limits apply. Profile data is retained for 30 days; profiles can be downloaded for longer-term storage. The service supports VPC Service Controls.
For and against
For
- Free to use, with quotas and limits applying.
- Attributes CPU and memory data to source code.
- Supports Go, Java, Node.js, and Python.
- Profiles can be downloaded for longer-term storage.
- Supports VPC Service Controls.
Against
- Profile data is retained for 30 days.
- Profile types and environments vary by language.
- Listed operating systems are Linux variants.
The verdict
Google Cloud Profiler brings production CPU and memory profiles into a console for analysis. Teams should account for language-specific availability and the 30-day retention period.
Who it suits
It is designed for teams analyzing resource consumption and performance in production applications. It suits teams using one of its supported languages and deployment environments, subject to language-specific availability.
Plans and prices
Cloud Profiler
Profile data retained for 30 days; quotas and limits apply
Read 2 Oct 2026 · cloud.google.com
On the record
- Console and agent
- Cloud Profiler consists of a profiling agent that collects data and a Google Cloud console interface for viewing and analyzing it.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- 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.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The product is designed to help teams analyze resource consumption and performance in production applications.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- 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.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The supported operating systems listed are Linux with glibc, and Linux with musl for some languages and configurations.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Profile types
- Available profile types include CPU time, heap, allocated heap, contention, threads, and wall time, with language-specific support for each.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- 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.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Retention
- Profile data is retained for 30 days, and profiles can be downloaded for long-term storage.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Security
- Cloud Profiler is a VPC Service Controls supported service.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Supported languages
- The profiler supports Go, Java, Node.js, and Python, with available profile types varying by language.docs.cloud.google.com · read 2 Oct 2026
