How Much RAM Do Web Developers Need? (2024) (2024)

When buying or upgrading a computer for web development, you will likely wonder how much memory you should get.

Long ago were the days when you could develop a website with only a text editor. These days, a web development workflow can include a variety of web tools, integrated development environments, containerized servers, and code building and packaging tools, not to mention video meetings, desktop sharing, and perhaps some image editing.

While 16 GBs of RAM should be adequate for many web development use cases, let's dig into the various considerations.

To allow for a reasonable amount of multitasking, researching, fast build times, and a responsive development environment, 16 GB of memory is a good minimum requirement. For extensive multitasking, memory-hungry tools and build processes, and virtual machines, at least 32 GB of memory may be worth the investment.

Check out my Recommended RAM below.

Many people underestimate how important it is to have enough memory (RAM) in their computer. When the amount of memory your applications need is more than the amount of memory available, your computer may slow to a crawl. Typically, in this case, the computer (operating system) will begin swapping data back and forth between your memory and virtual memory. Virtual memory is a large chunk of space on your storage device (SSD or hard drive) used to store data that can't fit in RAM. Because RAM is much faster than an SSD, your experience can quickly become unpleasant once you run out of free RAM (available memory).

Some people argue that developers could theoretically survive with a minuscule amount of RAM by only using a text editor for development. However, this is not realistic for modern development workflows.

You might be surprised by how many tools and applications you use daily, each one taking up memory.

Here are a few examples of RAM-hungry apps that web developers might use:

• Development environments such as VS Code.
• Browsers for research and development. It's not uncommon to have multiple windows full of tabs open. Some browsers use quite a bit of RAM for a smooth experience. You might even have various versions of browsers open at once.
• Container management solutions such as Docker or Kubernetes. Containers can add up if you simulate a production web environment containing cache servers or databases.
• Similarly, any servers you need to run while working on a site can eat away at your available memory.
• Memory needs of build processes will depend on your specific use case. For example, are you compiling and packaging JavaScript code? Build processes can be memory-hungry when optimized for parallel processing. You may need to measure your build process memory usage to determine how much memory you need.
• Processing large files and databases. Processing large amounts of data can be very memory-hungry, whether part of a build step or another part of your workflow.
• Custom tools, especially those that load large amounts of data into memory.
• Virtual machines. VMs might not be used very often for web development unless you need to simulate a different operating system. VMs can use a considerable subset of your RAM, as they require you to dedicate a portion of your memory for the virtual OS to use.
• Image editors such as Photoshop or Illustrator can be memory hungry if you work with large, high resolution, or complex files.

Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link

One strategy for dealing with a low amount of memory is to have only a few applications open at a time. Basically, instead of having your operating system swap an idle program's data to virtual memory, you are manually closing the application. This strategy will likely reduce the amount of memory your computer needs. However, it would replace it with a potentially slower workflow. For example, whenever your computer starts to get slow, you'd have to decide which applications to close.

I am a fan of leaving many applications open and switching between them as my work or focus requires.

Most web developers don't have a problem with one application or process consuming all their RAM. Instead, it's the cumulative effect of many applications fighting for a scarce resource.

If your OS and applications are not using your memory, adding more will not improve your experience. However, once you reach the capacity of your system, all applications can slow to a crawl when you switch tasks. Your OS has to decide which data to copy to and from virtual memory once there is no more free memory.

While it may not bother you that your build slows down when you're low on available RAM, you probably don't want that to interrupt your Zoom video call.

Let's summarize the previous points with a general conclusion. Perhaps you aren't very reliant on virtual machines. In that case, 16 GB of memory will probably be adequate for many usage scenarios.

However, perhaps you never want to have to worry about getting distracted with closing applications to free up resources. In that case, I recommend going with at least 32 GB.

I've been using 32 GB of memory in my development machine since 2014. I've loved the flexibility and have no plans of building a desktop development machine with less in the future.

Before purchasing memory, we suggest that you review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.

Recommended DDR5

• At an effective frequency of 5600 MHz, this memory hits the fastest DDR5 speed supported by Intel's 13th Gen CPUs without overclocking. Corsair DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) 5600 MHz RAM Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
• 32 GB provides ample memory for gaming and multitasking.
• Optimized for Intel XMP 3.0.

Recommended DDR4

• At an effective frequency of 3200 MHz, this memory hits the fastest supported stock DDR4 speeds. Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
• It is also available in other (effective) frequencies for overclockers, including 3600 MHz and 4000 MHz.
• Lower-speed versions are also available on Amazon, in various capacities, including DDR4-2933 (affiliate link), DDR4-2666 (affiliate link), and DDR4-2400 (affiliate link).
• The low-profile form factor ensures that the heat spreaders don't get in the way of other devices, including your CPU heatsink.

Memory Form Factors

When purchasing RAM, ensure that you get the correct form factor (i.e., physical size) for the device to ensure compatibility.

DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module)

DIMMs are larger memory sticks made for desktop computer motherboards.

SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module)

SO-DIMMs are smaller memory sticks made for laptops and some mini-PC small form-factor motherboards.

DDR Versions

DDR (Double Data Rate) SDRAM is the memory used in nearly all computers today.

With each version of DDR, faster memory speeds become available.

Memory Speed

DDR module speeds, also known as "data rates," are measured in megatransfers per second (MT/s). MT/s measures how fast data can be read and written per second to and from RAM.

This same number in units of MHz is called the "effective frequency." The effective frequency is the base frequency times two because it is double data rate (DDR) RAM.

For example, DDR5-5600 has a data rate of 5600 MT/s, an effective frequency of 5600 MHz, and a base frequency of 2800 MHz.

Through various tests and evaluations, we've confirmed that faster PC memory can enhance game performance and frame rates. However, upgrading to the fastest RAM might not yield as significant an impact as upgrading your CPU and graphics card or adding more RAM.

In our experience, if you're not utilizing your computer for memory-intensive games or video processing applications, you may not reap substantial benefits from using the fastest memory.

We recommend checking the motherboard model on the manufacturer's website to determine supported speeds. We've found that prices typically scale with memory speeds, so it's wise to choose a module within your budget that fulfills your requirements.

Memory Timings

We've also observed that, in addition to memory speed, memory timings affect performance. Timings measure how many clock cycles it takes to perform an action. Manufacturers often reference timings as a series of numbers, such as 16-18-18-38. Assuming memory sticks have a constant memory speed, lower timing values indicate a shorter time between commands. Because timings are measured in clock cycles, they scale down as the memory speed increases.

Throughout our experiences, we concluded that while memory timings impact performance, they are less critical than speed and capacity.

Memory Capacity

DDR ram capacities are measured in gigabytes (GB).

Even if you are not an enthusiast PC user, I recommend at least 16 GB of ram. This amount of RAM will allow you to keep several browser windows, video streams, and documents open simultaneously without worrying about your computer slowing down.

Suppose you use more memory-hungry software, such as Adobe graphics products, 3d or physics tools, or high-resolution video editors. In that case, you might consider 32 GB of memory for peak PC performance. However, you could likely get by with 16 GB of memory if you are okay with closing some applications before opening others.

Look up the motherboard model on the manufacturer's website to determine which memory capacities and module sizes are supported. Also, refer to your motherboard's documentation for guidance on which slots to use.

Memory is typically purchased in a pack of two or four modules (sticks). Make sure to use the same speeds, capacities, and timings. The lowest values will be used if multiple speeds or timings are used. If multiple sizes are used, you may need to use single-channel mode, which will be slower.

The easiest way to get matching sticks for peak performance is to buy them together in a pack.

Precautions When Selecting RAM

Before purchasing memory, we suggest that you review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.

When overclocking, you may be able to exceed speeds that are officially supported by CPUs. Motherboard specifications will indicate their supported overclocked-memory speeds. To be able to overclock DDR memory, your motherboard chipset needs to support memory overclocking.

RAM can also be underclocked to achieve compatibility. Underclocking can be used when you purchase memory that is faster than the maximum speed supported by the CPU or motherboard. However, precise underclocking also requires a motherboard that supports memory overclocking. Without this support, the memory may fall back to a slower speed than the maximum supported memory speed. To achieve the maximum memory speed without overclocking support, use the maximum speed supported by the motherboard and CPU.

By looking up a motherboard's specifications, you can verify whether it supports a particular speed. Additionally, the motherboard manufacturer's website will typically indicate which memory kits have been confirmed to be compatible.

Learn more in How to Choose the Best RAM for Your PC.

DDR5 is the latest generation of PC memory. DDR5 SDRAM is short for Double Data Rate 5 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory.

DDR5 provides twice the bandwidth and density of DDR4 while reducing power consumption. Higher bandwidth translates to faster processing for memory-intensive applications such as games, video and image editors, 3D tools, and browsers.

Additionally, all DDR5 memory will have on-die ECC, which provides error detection and correction before sending data to a CPU. DDR5 ECC is expected to improve reliability and reduce defect rates.

DDR5 provides twice the bandwidth and density of DDR4 while reducing power consumption. Higher bandwidth translates to faster processing for memory-intensive applications such as games, video and image editors, 3D tools, and browsers.

Additionally, all DDR5 memory will have on-die ECC, which provides error detection and correction before sending data to a CPU. DDR5 ECC is expected to improve reliability and reduce defect rates.

DDR5 is the path forward in the long run, but current conditions may limit its benefits. Let's dig into the various considerations.

Cost and Availability

Currently, DDR5 is more expensive than DDR4. Stock is often limited for DDR5 but is becoming more available.

CPU and Motherboard Upgrade

Intel's 12th, 13th, and 14th generation Core CPUs support both DDR4 and DDR5. However, DDR5 isn't backward compatible with DDR4; motherboards only support one or the other. This motherboard limitation means you'll need to choose whether you want to get the lower-cost DDR4 memory or get DDR5 with the ability to upgrade it in the future.

Ryzen 7000 series CPUs only support DDR5 memory, while older Ryzen CPUs only support DDR4 memory.

Timings

DDR5 may experience slower timings at initial release but should be much better than DDR4 as the technology matures. However, keep in mind that the timings scale inversely with the clock rate (frequency).

The timing values are in units of clock cycles, but more cycles are happening per second with DDR5. For example, DDR3-2133 CL10 has nearly the same latency as DDR5-8400 CL40. So don't let the CL40 latency of DDR5 scare you away; the number just looks bigger!

Bandwidth

Even if the latency is roughly the same between DDR4 and DDR5 currently, the amount of data that DDR5 can transfer per second is much higher. This increased bandwidth will often lead to an overall improvement in performance.

CPU Support

Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Core CPUs and Ryzen 7000 series CPUs currently support DDR5 memory. If you want to use an older Intel or AMD CPU, you'll be limited to DDR4.

Future Upgradability

If you get a DDR4 motherboard, you won't be able to use it with DDR5. Motherboards typically only support DDR4 or DDR5, but not both.

Intel's 12th, 13th, and 14th generation Core processors, code-named "Alder Lake" and "Raptor Lake," support DDR5.

AMD introduced support for DDR5 with their Ryzen 7000-series processors in Q4 2022.

Learn more in my article Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5?.