Icicle chart

As explained in Cloud Observability in Action

An Icicle Graph is Parca's term for a flame-graph-style hierarchical visualization of profile data.

An icicle chart is an upside-down flame graph: a hierarchical visualization of profile data in which the stacked shape grows downward. Parca calls its flame-graph view an Icicle Graph. section 9.1.2 section 9.1.5

Use an icicle chart to:

• Navigate CPU, memory, network I/O, runtime, operating-system, and application execution profiles. section 9.1.2
• Troubleshoot concrete performance problems through continuous profiling. section 9.1.5
• Treat colors as navigation aids rather than semantic categories. section 9.1.2

Viewing an Icicle Graph in Parca

Run the supplied Docker Compose setup, configure Parca to scrape profiles from the OpenTelemetry collector, open localhost:7070, choose a profile such as Memory In-Use Bytes, and select the line graph to view the Icicle Graph. section 9.1.5

Figure 9.6 Screenshot of Parca profiling the OpenTelemetry collector

Use the Parca profiling screenshot to connect the interface and selected profile to the resulting visualization. section 9.1.5

How Cloud Observability in Action covers it

How deep it goes

Defines the inverted flame-graph form and profiling scope, but defers detailed chart-reading guidance to external material.

Examples

Demonstrates Parca profiling an OpenTelemetry collector and selecting Memory In-Use Bytes for visualization.

What it assumes

Assumes familiarity with profile collection and Parca configuration while introducing the Icicle Graph name from flame graphs.

What you can do after

Operate Parca to select a profile and inspect its Icicle Graph for troubleshooting.

How it connects

Connects flame graphs with continuous profiling, profile data, Parca, OpenTelemetry, and eBPF.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  D3.js in Action, Third EditionAn icicle chart is a hierarchical visualization that represents parent-child relationships with nested or stacked rectangular regions.

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Related concepts

• flame graphequivalent to · A flame graph is a visualization of hierarchical stack-trace or resource-usage data in which nested regions have widths proportional to aggregated execution cost or resource consumption.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Cloud Observability in Action. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.