SvREFCNT

Return the reference count of a referent. SvREFCNT(\$x) answers “how many live references to $x exist right now?” — the usual tool for tracking a suspected leak without pulling the number out of a full Dump.

The argument must be a reference (prototype \[$@%&*]). The referent’s refcount is returned, minus one so that the temporary reference created by the \ operator does not skew the answer. Passing anything that is not a reference croaks with Usage: Devel::Peek::SvREFCNT(SCALAR).

Typical pattern: snapshot the count before and after a suspected leak site and look for growth that does not drop back.