Best practices

Release every load you own

Pair every Load* / Instantiate* / LoadScene* with a matching Release / ReleaseInstance / UnloadSceneAsync on the same handle when the content is no longer needed.

Prefer OnDestroy or explicit shutdown paths over relying on scene unload.

Scene transitions

Before LoadSceneMode.Single, release handles tied to the outgoing scene. Watch for red SceneSurvivor in Live Leaks during level transition testing.

Startup preloads

Long-lived boot assets are valid — mark them with [AddressablesIntentionallyPersistent] so the team knows they are intentional.

Use instrumented overloads

• Prefer UnloadSceneAsync(AsyncOperationHandle<SceneInstance>) over SceneInstance overload.
• Prefer Addressables.ReleaseInstance over AssetReference.ReleaseInstance(GameObject) for automatic tracking.

CI / team workflow

• Add a Play Mode test or manual checklist: enter Play, exercise Addressables flows, confirm Live Leaks empty after teardown.
• Run demo scene acceptance checklist after package upgrades.

Verbose mode

Enable Verbose only when debugging origin confusion — disable for daily profiling.

Assembly hygiene

Exclude only assemblies you truly cannot instrument. Over-excluding hides leaks in gameplay code.

Complement, not replace, Memory Profiler

Live Leaks shows missing Release at call sites. Memory Profiler shows what is retained. Use both.

Package upgrades

After upgrading Addressables or this package:

1. Re-run import checklist
2. Re-run demo acceptance checklist
3. Check Supported versions