Error java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded

Question

I get this error message as I execute my JUnit tests:

java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded

I know what an OutOfMemo

Answer 1

I'm working in Android Studio and encountered this error when trying to generate a signed APK for release. I was able to build and test a debug APK with no problem, but as soon as I wanted to build a release APK, the build process would run for minutes on end and then finally terminate with the "Error java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: GC overhead limit exceeded". I increased the heap sizes for both the VM and the Android DEX compiler, but the problem persisted. Finally, after many hours and mugs of coffee it turned out that the problem was in my app-level 'build.gradle' file - I had the 'minifyEnabled' parameter for the release build type set to 'false', consequently running Proguard stuffs on code that hasn't been through the code-shrinking' process (see https://developer.android.com/studio/build/shrink-code.html). I changed the 'minifyEnabled' parameter to 'true' and the release build executed like a dream :)

In short, I had to change my app-level 'build.gradle' file from: //...

buildTypes {
    release {
        minifyEnabled false
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        signingConfig signingConfigs.sign_config_release
    }
    debug {
        debuggable true
        signingConfig signingConfigs.sign_config_debug
    }
}

//...

to

    //...

buildTypes {
    release {
        minifyEnabled true
        proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        signingConfig signingConfigs.sign_config_release
    }
    debug {
        debuggable true
        signingConfig signingConfigs.sign_config_debug
    }
}

//...

Answer 2

If you are sure there are no memory leaks in your program, try to:

1. Increase the heap size, for example -Xmx1g.
2. Enable the concurrent low pause collector -XX:+UseConcMarkSweepGC.
3. Reuse existing objects when possible to save some memory.

If necessary, the limit check can be disabled by adding the option -XX:-UseGCOverheadLimit to the command line.

Answer 3

For me, the following steps worked:

1. Open the eclipse.ini file

2. Change

   -Xms40m
   -Xmx512m
   

   to

   -Xms512m
   -Xmx1024m
   

3. Restart Eclipse

See here

Answer 4

try this

open the build.gradle file

  android {
        dexOptions {
           javaMaxHeapSize = "4g"
        }
   }

Answer 5

To increase heap size in IntelliJ IDEA follow the following instructions. It worked for me.

For Windows Users,

Go to the location where IDE is installed and search for following.

idea64.exe.vmoptions

Edit the file and add the following.

-Xms512m
-Xmx2024m
-XX:MaxPermSize=700m
-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=480m

That is it !!

Answer 6

It's usually the code. Here's a simple example:

import java.util.*;

public class GarbageCollector {

    public static void main(String... args) {

        System.out.printf("Testing...%n");
        List<Double> list = new ArrayList<Double>();
        for (int outer = 0; outer < 10000; outer++) {

            // list = new ArrayList<Double>(10000); // BAD
            // list = new ArrayList<Double>(); // WORSE
            list.clear(); // BETTER

            for (int inner = 0; inner < 10000; inner++) {
                list.add(Math.random());
            }

            if (outer % 1000 == 0) {
                System.out.printf("Outer loop at %d%n", outer);
            }

        }
        System.out.printf("Done.%n");
    }
}

Using Java 1.6.0_24-b07 on a Windows 7 32 bit.

java -Xloggc:gc.log GarbageCollector

Then look at gc.log

• Triggered 444 times using BAD method
• Triggered 666 times using WORSE method
• Triggered 354 times using BETTER method

Now granted, this is not the best test or the best design but when faced with a situation where you have no choice but implementing such a loop or when dealing with existing code that behaves badly, choosing to reuse objects instead of creating new ones can reduce the number of times the garbage collector gets in the way...