Memory leak in conda solver

Unresolved decision about conda solver metadata cache retention

The goal is to determine whether the conda solver should retain solved package metadata across multiple solve calls to improve performance, or always discard it to guarantee strict memory bounds.

Constraints include the need to handle large environment specifications with many channel priorities, where repeated solves are common in CI pipelines and interactive workflows.

Uncertainty remains because post‑fix observations show residual memory growth in certain scenarios, suggesting the current cache‑clear policy may be too aggressive for some workloads.

Should the solver retain metadata across solves?
What performance trade‑offs are associated with retaining versus discarding the cache?
How could a configurable retention policy be exposed to users without complicating the solver interface?