StackOverflowError is a runtime error in Java which most developers would have seen atleast once.
This error occurs most often due to deep recursive method call bug in your code. So the solution is to fix the bug.
Stack is based on LIFO (Last In First Out) data structure. Each thread has its own stack. All local variables (variables in method), and method parameters are stored in the stack temporarily until the method stops running. Non-static object references are kept in the stack as well, but the actual object that it refers to resides in the heap.
Although thread stack size is not something you normally change, if there is a valid reason to have more stack storage, you can use Xss or XX:ThreadStackSize JVM argument to increase the default memory allocated to the stack. Default stack size varies based on the operating system.
-Xss512K
or
-XX:ThreadStackSize=512
Note: As per Oracle Java documentation:
“Options that begin with -X are non-standard (not guaranteed to be supported on all VM implementations), and are subject to change without notice in subsequent releases of the JDK.
Options that are specified with -XX are not stable and are subject to change without notice.”
Example 1: Bug
In this classic example, printOne method calls printTwo method repetitively which results in StackOverflowError.
package com.codebonneamie.demo;
class StackOverflowErrorExample
{
public static void main( String args[] )
{
StackOverflowErrorExample test = new StackOverflowErrorExample(); test.printOne( 1 );
}
private void printOne( int i )
{
System.out.printf( “printOne: %s %n”, i );
printTwo( ++i );
}
private void printTwo( int i )
{
System.out.printf( “printTwo: %s %n”, i );
printOne( ++i );
}
}
Output:
When you get this error look for recursive calls in the exception log. In this case it’s the printOne and printTwo method calls.
printOne: 9227
printTwo: 9228
printOne: 9229
printTwo: 9230
printOne: 9231
printTException in thread “main” java.lang.StackOverflowError
at java.util.regex.Pattern$BmpCharProperty.match(Pattern.java:3797)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Curly.match(Pattern.java:4227)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$GroupHead.match(Pattern.java:4658)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Branch.match(Pattern.java:4604)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$BranchConn.match(Pattern.java:4568)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$GroupTail.match(Pattern.java:4717)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Curly.match0(Pattern.java:4279)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Curly.match(Pattern.java:4234)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$GroupHead.match(Pattern.java:4658)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Branch.match(Pattern.java:4604)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Branch.match(Pattern.java:4602)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$BmpCharProperty.match(Pattern.java:3798)
at java.util.regex.Pattern$Start.match(Pattern.java:3461)
at java.util.regex.Matcher.search(Matcher.java:1248)
at java.util.regex.Matcher.find(Matcher.java:664)
at java.util.Formatter.parse(Formatter.java:2549)
at java.util.Formatter.format(Formatter.java:2501)
at java.io.PrintStream.format(PrintStream.java:970)
at java.io.PrintStream.printf(PrintStream.java:871)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printOne(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:13)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printTwo(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:22)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printOne(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:15)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printTwo(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:22)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printOne(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:15)
at com.codebonneamie.demo.StackOverflowErrorExample.printTwo(StackOverflowErrorExample.java:22)
Example 2: Fix
If you want to print from 1 to 10,000, you can use a loop, and give a terminating condition to fix the above code.
private void print()
{
for ( int i = 1; i < 10000; i++ )
{
System.out.printf( “printTwo: %s %n”, i );
}
}