I'm running MariaDB 10.4.11 in Ubuntu 18.04 and its memory usage is out of control. Once started, it slowly but steadily uses all memory until Ubuntu kills the process.

[![server memory usage](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YpVjg.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/YpVjg.png)

I have tried to tweak `innodb_buffer_pool_size` but it doesn't help. It doesn't matter whether it's 10% or 70% of available RAM, it still keeps using everything. The higher the value, the faster it eats the memory.

Here's the output from `show global variables;`

```
Variable_name   Value
alter_algorithm DEFAULT
analyze_sample_percentage   100.000000
aria_block_size 8192
aria_checkpoint_interval    30
aria_checkpoint_log_activity    1048576
aria_encrypt_tables OFF
aria_force_start_after_recovery_failures    0
aria_group_commit   none
aria_group_commit_interval  0
aria_log_file_size  1073741824
aria_log_purge_type immediate
aria_max_sort_file_size 9223372036853727232
aria_page_checksum  ON
aria_pagecache_age_threshold    300
aria_pagecache_buffer_size  134217728
aria_pagecache_division_limit   100
aria_pagecache_file_hash_size   512
aria_recover_options    BACKUP,QUICK
aria_repair_threads 1
aria_sort_buffer_size   268434432
aria_stats_method   nulls_unequal
aria_sync_log_dir   NEWFILE
aria_used_for_temp_tables   ON
auto_increment_increment    1
auto_increment_offset   1
autocommit  ON
automatic_sp_privileges ON
back_log    85
basedir /usr
big_tables  OFF
bind_address    
binlog_annotate_row_events  ON
binlog_cache_size   32768
binlog_checksum CRC32
binlog_commit_wait_count    0
binlog_commit_wait_usec 100000
binlog_direct_non_transactional_updates OFF
binlog_file_cache_size  16384
binlog_format   MIXED
binlog_optimize_thread_scheduling   ON
binlog_row_image    FULL
binlog_stmt_cache_size  32768
bulk_insert_buffer_size 16777216
character_set_client    latin1
character_set_connection    latin1
character_set_database  latin1
character_set_filesystem    binary
character_set_results   latin1
character_set_server    latin1
character_set_system    utf8
character_sets_dir  /usr/share/mysql/charsets/
check_constraint_checks ON
collation_connection    latin1_swedish_ci
collation_database  latin1_swedish_ci
collation_server    latin1_swedish_ci
column_compression_threshold    100
column_compression_zlib_level   6
column_compression_zlib_strategy    DEFAULT_STRATEGY
column_compression_zlib_wrap    OFF
completion_type NO_CHAIN
concurrent_insert   ALWAYS
connect_timeout 5
core_file   OFF
datadir /var/lib/mysql/
date_format %Y-%m-%d
datetime_format %Y-%m-%d %H:%i:%s
deadlock_search_depth_long  15
deadlock_search_depth_short 4
deadlock_timeout_long   50000000
deadlock_timeout_short  10000
debug_no_thread_alarm   OFF
default_password_lifetime   0
default_regex_flags 
default_storage_engine  InnoDB
default_tmp_storage_engine  
default_week_format 0
delay_key_write ON
delayed_insert_limit    100
delayed_insert_timeout  300
delayed_queue_size  1000
disconnect_on_expired_password  OFF
div_precision_increment 4
encrypt_binlog  OFF
encrypt_tmp_disk_tables OFF
encrypt_tmp_files   OFF
enforce_storage_engine  
eq_range_index_dive_limit   200
event_scheduler OFF
expensive_subquery_limit    100
expire_logs_days    10
explicit_defaults_for_timestamp OFF
extra_max_connections   1
extra_port  0
flush   OFF
flush_time  0
foreign_key_checks  ON
ft_boolean_syntax   + -><()~*:""&|
ft_max_word_len 84
ft_min_word_len 4
ft_query_expansion_limit    20
ft_stopword_file    (built-in)
general_log OFF
general_log_file    d9b15a6cc905.log
group_concat_max_len    1048576
gtid_binlog_pos 
gtid_binlog_state   
gtid_cleanup_batch_size 64
gtid_current_pos    
gtid_domain_id  0
gtid_ignore_duplicates  OFF
gtid_pos_auto_engines   
gtid_slave_pos  
gtid_strict_mode    OFF
have_compress   YES
have_crypt  YES
have_dynamic_loading    YES
have_geometry   YES
have_openssl    YES
have_profiling  YES
have_query_cache    YES
have_rtree_keys YES
have_ssl    DISABLED
have_symlink    YES
histogram_size  254
histogram_type  DOUBLE_PREC_HB
host_cache_size 303
hostname    d9b15a6cc905
idle_readonly_transaction_timeout   0
idle_transaction_timeout    0
idle_write_transaction_timeout  0
ignore_builtin_innodb   OFF
ignore_db_dirs  
in_predicate_conversion_threshold   1000
init_connect    
init_file   
init_slave  
innodb_adaptive_flushing    ON
innodb_adaptive_flushing_lwm    10.000000
innodb_adaptive_hash_index  ON
innodb_adaptive_hash_index_parts    8
innodb_adaptive_max_sleep_delay 150000
innodb_autoextend_increment 64
innodb_autoinc_lock_mode    1
innodb_background_scrub_data_check_interval 3600
innodb_background_scrub_data_compressed OFF
innodb_background_scrub_data_interval   604800
innodb_background_scrub_data_uncompressed   OFF
innodb_buf_dump_status_frequency    0
innodb_buffer_pool_chunk_size   134217728
innodb_buffer_pool_dump_at_shutdown ON
innodb_buffer_pool_dump_now OFF
innodb_buffer_pool_dump_pct 25
innodb_buffer_pool_filename ib_buffer_pool
innodb_buffer_pool_instances    8
innodb_buffer_pool_load_abort   OFF
innodb_buffer_pool_load_at_startup  ON
innodb_buffer_pool_load_now OFF
innodb_buffer_pool_size 1073741824
innodb_change_buffer_max_size   25
innodb_change_buffering all
innodb_checksum_algorithm   crc32
innodb_checksums    ON
innodb_cmp_per_index_enabled    OFF
innodb_commit_concurrency   0
innodb_compression_algorithm    zlib
innodb_compression_default  OFF
innodb_compression_failure_threshold_pct    5
innodb_compression_level    6
innodb_compression_pad_pct_max  50
innodb_concurrency_tickets  5000
innodb_data_file_path   ibdata1:12M:autoextend
innodb_data_home_dir    
innodb_deadlock_detect  ON
innodb_default_encryption_key_id    1
innodb_default_row_format   dynamic
innodb_defragment   OFF
innodb_defragment_fill_factor   0.900000
innodb_defragment_fill_factor_n_recs    20
innodb_defragment_frequency 40
innodb_defragment_n_pages   7
innodb_defragment_stats_accuracy    0
innodb_disable_sort_file_cache  OFF
innodb_disallow_writes  OFF
innodb_doublewrite  ON
innodb_encrypt_log  OFF
innodb_encrypt_tables   OFF
innodb_encrypt_temporary_tables OFF
innodb_encryption_rotate_key_age    1
innodb_encryption_rotation_iops 100
innodb_encryption_threads   0
innodb_fast_shutdown    1
innodb_fatal_semaphore_wait_threshold   600
innodb_file_format  
innodb_file_per_table   ON
innodb_fill_factor  100
innodb_flush_log_at_timeout 1
innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit  1
innodb_flush_method O_DIRECT
innodb_flush_neighbors  1
innodb_flush_sync   ON
innodb_flushing_avg_loops   30
innodb_force_load_corrupted OFF
innodb_force_primary_key    OFF
innodb_force_recovery   0
innodb_ft_aux_table 
innodb_ft_cache_size    8000000
innodb_ft_enable_diag_print OFF
innodb_ft_enable_stopword   ON
innodb_ft_max_token_size    84
innodb_ft_min_token_size    3
innodb_ft_num_word_optimize 2000
innodb_ft_result_cache_limit    2000000000
innodb_ft_server_stopword_table 
innodb_ft_sort_pll_degree   2
innodb_ft_total_cache_size  640000000
innodb_ft_user_stopword_table   
innodb_idle_flush_pct   100
innodb_immediate_scrub_data_uncompressed    OFF
innodb_io_capacity  400
innodb_io_capacity_max  2000
innodb_large_prefix 
innodb_lock_schedule_algorithm  fcfs
innodb_lock_wait_timeout    50
innodb_locks_unsafe_for_binlog  OFF
innodb_log_buffer_size  8388608
innodb_log_checksums    ON
innodb_log_compressed_pages ON
innodb_log_file_size    50331648
innodb_log_files_in_group   2
innodb_log_group_home_dir   ./
innodb_log_optimize_ddl ON
innodb_log_write_ahead_size 8192
innodb_lru_scan_depth   1024
innodb_max_dirty_pages_pct  75.000000
innodb_max_dirty_pages_pct_lwm  0.000000
innodb_max_purge_lag    0
innodb_max_purge_lag_delay  0
innodb_max_undo_log_size    10485760
innodb_monitor_disable  
innodb_monitor_enable   
innodb_monitor_reset    
innodb_monitor_reset_all    
innodb_old_blocks_pct   37
innodb_old_blocks_time  1000
innodb_online_alter_log_max_size    134217728
innodb_open_files   400
innodb_optimize_fulltext_only   OFF
innodb_page_cleaners    4
innodb_page_size    16384
innodb_prefix_index_cluster_optimization    OFF
innodb_print_all_deadlocks  OFF
innodb_purge_batch_size 300
innodb_purge_rseg_truncate_frequency    128
innodb_purge_threads    4
innodb_random_read_ahead    OFF
innodb_read_ahead_threshold 56
innodb_read_io_threads  4
innodb_read_only    OFF
innodb_replication_delay    0
innodb_rollback_on_timeout  OFF
innodb_rollback_segments    128
innodb_scrub_log    OFF
innodb_scrub_log_speed  256
innodb_sort_buffer_size 1048576
innodb_spin_wait_delay  4
innodb_stats_auto_recalc    ON
innodb_stats_include_delete_marked  OFF
innodb_stats_method nulls_equal
innodb_stats_modified_counter   0
innodb_stats_on_metadata    OFF
innodb_stats_persistent ON
innodb_stats_persistent_sample_pages    20
innodb_stats_sample_pages   8
innodb_stats_traditional    ON
innodb_stats_transient_sample_pages 8
innodb_status_output    OFF
innodb_status_output_locks  OFF
innodb_strict_mode  ON
innodb_sync_array_size  1
innodb_sync_spin_loops  30
innodb_table_locks  ON
innodb_temp_data_file_path  ibtmp1:12M:autoextend
innodb_thread_concurrency   0
innodb_thread_sleep_delay   10000
innodb_tmpdir   
innodb_undo_directory   ./
innodb_undo_log_truncate    OFF
innodb_undo_logs    128
innodb_undo_tablespaces 0
innodb_use_atomic_writes    ON
innodb_use_native_aio   ON
innodb_version  10.4.11
innodb_write_io_threads 4
interactive_timeout 28800
join_buffer_size    262144
join_buffer_space_limit 2097152
join_cache_level    2
keep_files_on_create    OFF
key_buffer_size 134217728
key_cache_age_threshold 300
key_cache_block_size    1024
key_cache_division_limit    100
key_cache_file_hash_size    512
key_cache_segments  0
large_files_support ON
large_page_size 0
large_pages OFF
lc_messages en_US
lc_messages_dir /usr/share/mysql
lc_time_names   en_US
license GPL
local_infile    ON
lock_wait_timeout   86400
locked_in_memory    OFF
log_bin OFF
log_bin_basename    
log_bin_compress    OFF
log_bin_compress_min_len    256
log_bin_index   
log_bin_trust_function_creators OFF
log_disabled_statements sp
log_error   
log_output  FILE
log_queries_not_using_indexes   OFF
log_slave_updates   OFF
log_slow_admin_statements   ON
log_slow_disabled_statements    sp
log_slow_filter admin,filesort,filesort_on_disk,filesort_priority_queue,full_join,full_scan,query_cache,query_cache_miss,tmp_table,tmp_table_on_disk
log_slow_rate_limit 1
log_slow_slave_statements   ON
log_slow_verbosity  
log_tc_size 24576
log_warnings    2
long_query_time 10.000000
low_priority_updates    OFF
lower_case_file_system  OFF
lower_case_table_names  0
master_verify_checksum  OFF
max_allowed_packet  16777216
max_binlog_cache_size   18446744073709547520
max_binlog_size 104857600
max_binlog_stmt_cache_size  18446744073709547520
max_connect_errors  100
max_connections 175
max_delayed_threads 20
max_digest_length   1024
max_error_count 64
max_heap_table_size 33554432
max_insert_delayed_threads  20
max_join_size   18446744073709551615
max_length_for_sort_data    1024
max_long_data_size  16777216
max_password_errors 4294967295
max_prepared_stmt_count 16382
max_recursive_iterations    4294967295
max_relay_log_size  104857600
max_rowid_filter_size   131072
max_seeks_for_key   4294967295
max_session_mem_used    9223372036854775807
max_sort_length 1024
max_sp_recursion_depth  0
max_statement_time  0.000000
max_tmp_tables  32
max_user_connections    0
max_write_lock_count    4294967295
metadata_locks_cache_size   1024
metadata_locks_hash_instances   8
min_examined_row_limit  0
mrr_buffer_size 262144
multi_range_count   256
myisam_block_size   1024
myisam_data_pointer_size    6
myisam_max_sort_file_size   9223372036853727232
myisam_mmap_size    18446744073709551615
myisam_recover_options  BACKUP
myisam_repair_threads   1
myisam_sort_buffer_size 536870912
myisam_stats_method NULLS_UNEQUAL
myisam_use_mmap OFF
mysql56_temporal_format ON
net_buffer_length   16384
net_read_timeout    30
net_retry_count 10
net_write_timeout   60
old OFF
old_alter_table DEFAULT
old_mode    
old_passwords   OFF
open_files_limit    1026
optimizer_prune_level   1
optimizer_search_depth  62
optimizer_selectivity_sampling_limit    100
optimizer_switch    index_merge=on,index_merge_union=on,index_merge_sort_union=on,index_merge_intersection=on,index_merge_sort_intersection=off,engine_condition_pushdown=off,index_condition_pushdown=on,derived_merge=on,derived_with_keys=on,firstmatch=on,loosescan=on,materialization=on,in_to_exists=on,semijoin=on,partial_match_rowid_merge=on,partial_match_table_scan=on,subquery_cache=on,mrr=off,mrr_cost_based=off,mrr_sort_keys=off,outer_join_with_cache=on,semijoin_with_cache=on,join_cache_incremental=on,join_cache_hashed=on,join_cache_bka=on,optimize_join_buffer_size=on,table_elimination=on,extended_keys=on,exists_to_in=on,orderby_uses_equalities=on,condition_pushdown_for_derived=on,split_materialized=on,condition_pushdown_for_subquery=on,rowid_filter=on,condition_pushdown_from_having=on
optimizer_trace enabled=off
optimizer_trace_max_mem_size    1048576
optimizer_use_condition_selectivity 4
performance_schema  OFF
performance_schema_accounts_size    -1
performance_schema_digests_size -1
performance_schema_events_stages_history_long_size  -1
performance_schema_events_stages_history_size   -1
performance_schema_events_statements_history_long_size  -1
performance_schema_events_statements_history_size   -1
performance_schema_events_waits_history_long_size   -1
performance_schema_events_waits_history_size    -1
performance_schema_hosts_size   -1
performance_schema_max_cond_classes 80
performance_schema_max_cond_instances   -1
performance_schema_max_digest_length    1024
performance_schema_max_file_classes 50
performance_schema_max_file_handles 32768
performance_schema_max_file_instances   -1
performance_schema_max_mutex_classes    200
performance_schema_max_mutex_instances  -1
performance_schema_max_rwlock_classes   40
performance_schema_max_rwlock_instances -1
performance_schema_max_socket_classes   10
performance_schema_max_socket_instances -1
performance_schema_max_stage_classes    160
performance_schema_max_statement_classes    202
performance_schema_max_table_handles    -1
performance_schema_max_table_instances  -1
performance_schema_max_thread_classes   50
performance_schema_max_thread_instances -1
performance_schema_session_connect_attrs_size   -1
performance_schema_setup_actors_size    100
performance_schema_setup_objects_size   100
performance_schema_users_size   -1
pid_file    /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
plugin_dir  /usr/lib/mysql/plugin/
plugin_maturity gamma
port    3306
preload_buffer_size 32768
profiling   OFF
profiling_history_size  15
progress_report_time    5
protocol_version    10
proxy_protocol_networks 
query_alloc_block_size  16384
query_cache_limit   131072
query_cache_min_res_unit    4096
query_cache_size    67108864
query_cache_strip_comments  OFF
query_cache_type    ON
query_cache_wlock_invalidate    OFF
query_prealloc_size 24576
range_alloc_block_size  4096
read_binlog_speed_limit 0
read_buffer_size    2097152
read_only   OFF
read_rnd_buffer_size    1048576
relay_log   
relay_log_basename  
relay_log_index 
relay_log_info_file relay-log.info
relay_log_purge ON
relay_log_recovery  OFF
relay_log_space_limit   0
replicate_annotate_row_events   ON
replicate_do_db 
replicate_do_table  
replicate_events_marked_for_skip    REPLICATE
replicate_ignore_db 
replicate_ignore_table  
replicate_wild_do_table 
replicate_wild_ignore_table 
report_host 
report_password 
report_port 3306
report_user 
rowid_merge_buff_size   8388608
rpl_semi_sync_master_enabled    OFF
rpl_semi_sync_master_timeout    10000
rpl_semi_sync_master_trace_level    32
rpl_semi_sync_master_wait_no_slave  ON
rpl_semi_sync_master_wait_point AFTER_COMMIT
rpl_semi_sync_slave_delay_master    OFF
rpl_semi_sync_slave_enabled OFF
rpl_semi_sync_slave_kill_conn_timeout   5
rpl_semi_sync_slave_trace_level 32
secure_auth ON
secure_file_priv    
secure_timestamp    NO
server_id   1
session_track_schema    ON
session_track_state_change  OFF
session_track_system_variables  autocommit,character_set_client,character_set_connection,character_set_results,time_zone
session_track_transaction_info  OFF
skip_external_locking   ON
skip_name_resolve   ON
skip_networking OFF
skip_show_database  OFF
slave_compressed_protocol   OFF
slave_ddl_exec_mode IDEMPOTENT
slave_domain_parallel_threads   0
slave_exec_mode STRICT
slave_load_tmpdir   /tmp
slave_max_allowed_packet    1073741824
slave_net_timeout   60
slave_parallel_max_queued   131072
slave_parallel_mode conservative
slave_parallel_threads  0
slave_parallel_workers  0
slave_run_triggers_for_rbr  NO
slave_skip_errors   OFF
slave_sql_verify_checksum   ON
slave_transaction_retries   10
slave_transaction_retry_errors  1158,1159,1160,1161,1205,1213,1429,2013,12701
slave_transaction_retry_interval    0
slave_type_conversions  
slow_launch_time    2
slow_query_log  OFF
slow_query_log_file /var/log/mysql/mariadb-slow.log
socket  /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
sort_buffer_size    4194304
sql_auto_is_null    OFF
sql_big_selects ON
sql_buffer_result   OFF
sql_log_bin ON
sql_log_off OFF
sql_mode    ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION
sql_notes   ON
sql_quote_show_create   ON
sql_safe_updates    OFF
sql_select_limit    18446744073709551615
sql_slave_skip_counter  0
sql_warnings    OFF
ssl_ca  
ssl_capath  
ssl_cert    
ssl_cipher  
ssl_crl 
ssl_crlpath 
ssl_key 
standard_compliant_cte  ON
storage_engine  InnoDB
stored_program_cache    256
strict_password_validation  ON
sync_binlog 0
sync_frm    ON
sync_master_info    10000
sync_relay_log  10000
sync_relay_log_info 10000
system_time_zone    UTC
system_versioning_alter_history ERROR
system_versioning_asof  DEFAULT
table_definition_cache  400
table_open_cache    400
table_open_cache_instances  8
tcp_keepalive_interval  0
tcp_keepalive_probes    0
tcp_keepalive_time  0
tcp_nodelay ON
thread_cache_size   128
thread_concurrency  10
thread_handling one-thread-per-connection
thread_pool_idle_timeout    60
thread_pool_max_threads 65536
thread_pool_oversubscribe   3
thread_pool_prio_kickup_timer   1000
thread_pool_priority    auto
thread_pool_size    20
thread_pool_stall_limit 500
thread_stack    299008
time_format %H:%i:%s
time_zone   SYSTEM
timed_mutexes   OFF
tls_version TLSv1.1,TLSv1.2,TLSv1.3
tmp_disk_table_size 18446744073709551615
tmp_memory_table_size   33554432
tmp_table_size  33554432
tmpdir  /tmp
transaction_alloc_block_size    8192
transaction_prealloc_size   4096
tx_isolation    REPEATABLE-READ
tx_read_only    OFF
unique_checks   ON
updatable_views_with_limit  YES
use_stat_tables PREFERABLY_FOR_QUERIES
userstat    OFF
version 10.4.11-MariaDB-1:10.4.11+maria~bionic
version_comment mariadb.org binary distribution
version_compile_machine x86_64
version_compile_os  debian-linux-gnu
version_malloc_library  system
version_source_revision 7c2c420b70b19cc02b5281127205e876f3919dad
version_ssl_library OpenSSL 1.1.1  11 Sep 2018
wait_timeout    600
wsrep_osu_method    TOI
wsrep_sr_store  table
wsrep_auto_increment_control    ON
wsrep_causal_reads  OFF
wsrep_certification_rules   strict
wsrep_certify_nonpk ON
wsrep_cluster_address   
wsrep_cluster_name  my_wsrep_cluster
wsrep_convert_lock_to_trx   OFF
wsrep_data_home_dir /var/lib/mysql/
wsrep_dbug_option   
wsrep_debug NONE
wsrep_desync    OFF
wsrep_dirty_reads   OFF
wsrep_drupal_282555_workaround  OFF
wsrep_forced_binlog_format  NONE
wsrep_gtid_domain_id    0
wsrep_gtid_mode OFF
wsrep_ignore_apply_errors   7
wsrep_load_data_splitting   OFF
wsrep_log_conflicts OFF
wsrep_max_ws_rows   0
wsrep_max_ws_size   2147483647
wsrep_mysql_replication_bundle  0
wsrep_node_address  
wsrep_node_incoming_address AUTO
wsrep_node_name d9b15a6cc905
wsrep_notify_cmd    
wsrep_on    OFF
wsrep_patch_version wsrep_26.22
wsrep_provider  none
wsrep_provider_options  
wsrep_recover   OFF
wsrep_reject_queries    NONE
wsrep_replicate_myisam  OFF
wsrep_restart_slave OFF
wsrep_retry_autocommit  1
wsrep_slave_fk_checks   ON
wsrep_slave_uk_checks   OFF
wsrep_slave_threads 1
wsrep_sst_auth  
wsrep_sst_donor 
wsrep_sst_donor_rejects_queries OFF
wsrep_sst_method    rsync
wsrep_sst_receive_address   AUTO
wsrep_start_position    00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000:-1
wsrep_sync_wait 0
wsrep_trx_fragment_size 0
wsrep_trx_fragment_unit bytes

```