Memory Management Differences with GLTFLoader in Safari vs Chrome

Based on the information available, I can provide some insights about the memory management differences you're observing between Safari and Chrome when using the GLTFLoader.

The issue you're experiencing appears to be related to how different browsers handle memory management for 3D assets loaded with Three.js loaders. While Chrome seems to properly free memory when objects are disposed, Safari shows a continuous increase in memory usage.

Possible Explanations

1. Browser-specific garbage collection: Safari's JavaScript engine (JavaScriptCore) may have different garbage collection strategies compared to Chrome's V8 engine, especially for WebGL resources.

2. WebGL implementation differences: Safari's WebGL implementation might handle resource disposal differently than Chrome's.

3. DRACOLoader compatibility: If your GLTF models use Draco compression, there might be browser-specific issues. The DRACOLoader documentation mentions that it "automatically uses JS or WASM decoding libraries based on browser capabilities," which could potentially lead to different memory behaviors.

Potential Solutions

1. Explicit disposal: Ensure you're properly disposing of all Three.js objects, materials, textures, and geometries:

JAVASCRIPTCopied
function disposeModel(model) {
  if (!model) return;
  
  model.traverse((object) => {
    if (object.isMesh) {
      if (object.geometry) {
        object.geometry.dispose();
      }
      
      if (object.material) {
        if (Array.isArray(object.material)) {
          object.material.forEach(material => disposeMaterial(material));
        } else {
          disposeMaterial(object.material);
        }
      }
    }
  });
}

function disposeMaterial(material) {
  // Dispose textures
  for (const key in material) {
    if (material[key] && material[key].isTexture) {
      material[key].dispose();
    }
  }
  material.dispose();
}

2. Cache management: If you're loading the same models repeatedly, consider using Three.js Cache system to manage loaded resources.

3. Force garbage collection: In development, you might try to force garbage collection in Safari (though this isn't reliable for production).

Without more specific information about your implementation details, these are general suggestions based on common issues with Three.js memory management across browsers.