Periodic CPU spikes caused by default `healthcheck.js` in Node-RED Docker image

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Assessment

Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Newbie friendliness
52/100
Issue type
Bug
Clarity
Mostly clear
Activity status
Quiet
Tech stack
docker, javascript, node.js
Domain
devops, infrastructure, performance

Research direction

Start by locating the default healthcheck.js and the Docker image configuration that runs it every 30 seconds. Compare the current node /healthcheck.js check with the lightweight alternatives described in the issue, and verify that the chosen healthcheck still confirms service availability while avoiding the reported periodic CPU spike.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

Periodic CPU spikes caused by default healthcheck in Node-RED Docker image

I recently tried to deliver a Node-RED Docker container to a colleague who is not very familiar with Node-RED and is quite cautious about trusting it in production.

During testing, he noticed a periodic CPU spike every 30 seconds, where CPU usage briefly jumps from ~0.5% to ~6% within less than a second.

After investigation, I found the cause is the default healthcheck.js. The Docker healthcheck executes every 30 seconds and runs node /healthcheck.js, which starts a full Node.js process and performs an HTTP request to check service availability.

While this design is functionally correct, it introduces unnecessary CPU overhead in lightweight or single-node deployments.

I would like to suggest considering a more lightweight healthcheck approach, such as a TCP port check or a lightweight HTTP probe, instead of starting a full Node.js process (node /healthcheck.js) on every check.

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