Maximum number of dimensions in a Java array

Question

Out of curiosity, how many dimensions of an array can you have in Java?

Answer 1

Small experiment shows, that 255 dimensions is maximum. 256 causes compilation error;

The screenshot

Answer 2

The Java language does not limit the number of dimensions, but the Java VM spec limits the number of dimensions to 255.

For example, the following code will fail to compile:

class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        final int[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] x;
    }
}

with error:

1.java:18: error: array type has too many dimensions
                 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] x;
                                                  ^
1 error

(Ref: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jvms/se8/html/jvms-4.html#jvms-4.4.1 "An array type descriptor is valid only if it represents 255 or fewer dimensions.")

Answer 3

Strictly speaking about

 Maximum number of dimensions in a Java array

is only one dimensional array is possible in java. because under the hood java treat multidimensional arrays as array of arrays.

Proof of concept: http://www.willamette.edu/~gorr/classes/cs231/lectures/chapter9/arrays2d.htm

that's why its possible to have ragged arrays in Java as well!