Node server CPU spike
Sudden CPU spikes in Node often come from one endpoint, one payload pattern, or one background task crossing a threshold.
Common symptoms
- Short, sharp spikes under specific traffic
- Only one server instance turns hot
- Errors or timeouts appear during spikes
Likely causes
- One request path turns CPU-heavy
- Garbage collection pressure
- Background tasks overlap with foreground load
Evidence to look for
Spike aligns with a deploy or traffic event
One function dominates during perf sampling
Top routes or jobs correlate with CPU bursts
What it usually means
Spikes are easier to fix when tied to an event, route, or job instead of treated as generic load.
What to do next
- 1Correlate spikes with deploys, cron jobs, and traffic
- 2Capture short perf bursts during sustained spikes
- 3Move heavy jobs off the main process
See what's causing your CPU
cpum.ai turns CPU, process, disk, and memory signals into plain-English explanations with evidence.
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