Index: docs/memory-infra/README.md |
diff --git a/docs/memory-infra/README.md b/docs/memory-infra/README.md |
index 5066a65016a6cf66e7540bb426650c79c48bf704..eb3252b077b8edd06354dc9386774baec77ff48a 100644 |
--- a/docs/memory-infra/README.md |
+++ b/docs/memory-infra/README.md |
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ memory used by various subsystems of Chrome. |
* **UI**: Android only. Memory used by Android java bitmaps for the UI. |
* **V8**: Memory used by V8 Javascript engine. |
* **Web Cache**: Memory used by resources downloaded from the Web, like images |
- and scipts. |
+ and scripts. |
The **tracing column in gray** reports memory that is used to collect all of the |
above information. This memory would not be used if tracing were not enabled, |
@@ -107,6 +107,19 @@ and it is discounted from malloc and the blue columns. |
[gpu-memory]: probe-gpu.md |
[partalloc]: /base/allocator/partition_allocator/PartitionAlloc.md |
+## 'effective\_size' vs. 'size' |
+ |
+This is a little like the difference between 'self time' and 'cumulative time' |
+in a profiling tool. Size is the total amount of memory allocated/requested |
+by a subsystem whereas effective size is the total amount of memory |
+used/consumed by a subsystem. If Skia allocates 10mb via partition_alloc |
+that memory would show up in the size of both Skia and partition_alloc |
+but only in the effective size of Skia since although partition_alloc |
+allocates the 10mb it does so on behalf of Skia which is responsible |
+for the memory. Summing all effective sizes gives the total amount of |
+memory used whereas summing size would give a number larger than the total |
+amount of memory used. |
+ |
## Related Pages |
* [Adding MemoryInfra Tracing to a Component](adding_memory_infra_tracing.md) |