Java Memory Management - Overview

JVM creates various run time areas during the startup for the execution of the program. The following figure illustrates the memory model used by JVM.

JVM creates

• Method Area
• Native Method Stack
• Java Stack
• pc Register
• Heap Space

Method Area

Method area is the space where the compiled code of all the JVM Threads contain. It stores the data common to all the threads like methods, constructors of each class, common run time variables etc. Its very similar to  Heap memory but this area couldn't get compact or clean up during the garbage collection. It is created during the startup of JVM.

• If area is not able to allocate the request, then JVM throws an OutOfMemoryError.

Native Method Stack

This area is used to support the conventional native methods for invoke operation. This memory is for the methods written in other than Java. This area is created by the creation of the Thread.

• If native methods require a large amount of stack than supplied, it raises StackOverflowError
• If memory can be extended but couldn't able to allocate, it raises OutOfMemoryError

Java Stack

In other words, its JVM private method stack. This is same as Conventional method stack but used for only methods created in Java.

• If methods require a large amount of stack than supplied, it raises StackOverflowError
• If memory can be extended but couldn't able to allocate, it raises OutOfMemoryError

pc Register

As Java can execute multi-threads, each thread has it's own pc register to store the current instruction being executed by the thread. It contains the value only the thread is executing a non-native instruction. If the thread is executing a native instruction, it will be undefined.

Heap

Heap is the common run time work area for all the threads. It stores the local variables, collections, objects data being used by the each thread.  The reclaimed objects will be collected/removed by the automatic memory management process called Garbage Collector. The head size can be fixed by using the command line parameters otherwise it's not limited (depends on the system where the JVM is running).
To increase the performance of the JVM, the heap is divided into multiple generation as you see in the above picture. So Heap is divided into Young generation and Old or Tenured Generation and Permanent Generation. 

PermGen Space

PermGen space will be used by JVM to keep the loaded class and other common spaces like String pool. This space is directly proportional to the size of the application (classes, strings created etc.) and also GC cannot do much clean-up on this, so it will easily run out of memory with PermGen out of space error if not defined properly. 

Heap and PermGen space can be configurable using command line arguments while starting the JVM. In the next sections, will see more details on the Heap Memory, PermGen Space and Garbage Collector and their settings.