What is the difference between -Xss and -XX:ThreadStackSize?

Question

I just want to control the stack size for all of my threads in a Java (groovy) application. For the Hotspot Oracle VM, I know that there are two parameters doing that (-Xss and

Answer 1

The Oracle Java SE 8 docs suggest that -Xss and -XX:ThreadStackSize=size are equivalent. However this not correct. Try eg.

java -XX:ThreadStackSize=1024 -version
java version "1.8.0_171"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_171-b11)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.171-b11, mixed mode)

java -Xss1024 -version
The stack size specified is too small, Specify at least 160k
Error: Could not create the Java Virtual Machine.
Error: A fatal exception has occurred. Program will exit.

This is fixed e.g. in the Java 14 documentation:

-XX:ThreadStackSize=size Sets the Java thread stack size (in kilobytes). Use of a scaling suffix, such as k, results in the scaling of the kilobytes value so that -XX:ThreadStackSize=1k sets the Java thread stack size to 1024*1024 bytes or 1 megabyte.

and

-Xss size Sets the thread stack size (in bytes).

Answer 2

-Xss works only on main Java thead, but -XX:ThreadStackSize works on all Java thread.

If -Xss (or -ss) were passed on the command line, it gets picked up directly by the launcher and is used later to create the "main" Java thread, without asking the VM for the preferred thread stack size. That where inconsistency comes from: if -Xss is given after -XX:ThreadStackSize, then things are still good; otherwise, the "main" Java thread would have a stack size specified by -Xss where as other Java threads' stack size would still follow that of ThreadStackSize.

Inconsistency between -Xss and -XX:ThreadStackSize in the java launcher

Answer 3

-Xss is an alias for -XX:ThreadStackSize both for OpenJDK and Oracle JDK.

Though they parse arguments differently:
-Xss may accept a number with K, M or G suffix;
-XX:ThreadStackSize= expects an integer (without suffix) - the stack size in kilobytes.

Answer 4

-Xss is standard options recognized by the Java HotSpot VM.

-XX:ThreadStackSize as other -XX options are not stable and are subject to change without notice.

See Java HotSpot VM Options

Answer 5

UPDATED 2019 for Java SE 8

Current Oracle Java SE 8 docs suggest that -Xss and -XX:ThreadStackSize=size are equivalent. See
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/tools/unix/java.html

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For -Xss:

-Xsssize  

   Sets the thread stack size (in bytes). Append the 
   letter k or K to indicate KB, m or M to indicate MB, g or G to 
   indicate GB. The default value depends on the platform:

Linux/ARM (32-bit): 320 KB

Linux/i386 (32-bit): 320 KB

Linux/x64 (64-bit): 1024 KB

OS X (64-bit): 1024 KB

Oracle Solaris/i386 (32-bit): 320 KB

Oracle Solaris/x64 (64-bit): 1024 KB

The following examples set the thread stack size to 1024 KB in different units:

-Xss1m
-Xss1024k
-Xss1048576 

This option is equivalent to -XX:ThreadStackSize.

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For -XX:ThreadStackSize=size

-XX:ThreadStackSize=size 

  Sets the thread stack size (in bytes). Append the 
  letter k or K to indicate kilobytes, m or M to indicate 
  megabytes, g or G to indicate gigabytes. The default 
  value depends on the platform:

Linux/ARM (32-bit): 320 KB

Linux/i386 (32-bit): 320 KB

Linux/x64 (64-bit): 1024 KB

OS X (64-bit): 1024 KB

Oracle Solaris/i386 (32-bit): 320 KB

Oracle Solaris/x64 (64-bit): 1024 KB

The following examples show how to set the thread stack size to 1024 KB in different units:

-XX:ThreadStackSize=1m
-XX:ThreadStackSize=1024k
-XX:ThreadStackSize=1048576 

This option is equivalent to -Xss.