What is OutOfMemoryError in Java?

OutOfMemoryError in Java is a type of runtime error that occurs when the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) cannot allocate an object because it runs out of memory. This usually happens when the heap space is exhausted, and there are no more possible memory allocations available, causing the application to fail. Common reasons for this error include memory leaks, excessively large arrays or collections, and insufficient heap space configured in the JVM settings.

Example of OutOfMemoryError

The following example demonstrates how an OutOfMemoryError can occur when trying to create a large array:

public class OutOfMemoryExample { public static void main(String[] args) { // Allocating an array larger than the maximum heap size int[] largeArray = new int[Integer.MAX_VALUE]; } }

OutOfMemoryError Java JVM memory management heap space runtime error