A small memory dump is a file created by an operating system when a computer crashes or encounters a serious error. It captures a limited amount of information about the system's memory at the time of the crash, which can help diagnose the problem. This type of dump typically includes the contents of the kernel memory and a few active processes. Small memory dumps are useful for developers and system administrators to troubleshoot issues without consuming too much disk space. They are often analyzed using debugging tools to identify the cause of the crash, making it easier to implement fixes and improve system stability.