java.lang.OutOfMemoryError thrown from StringBuilder/StringBuffer.

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

java.lang.OutOfMemoryError is sometimes thrown from a StringBuilder/StringBuffer object with error messages like below even though Java Heap have not yet exhausted.

(*e1) Exception example 1 in OpenJDK 8, 11

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.OutOfMemoryError
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.hugeCapacity(AbstractStringBuilder.java:214)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.newCapacity(AbstractStringBuilder.java:206)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.ensureCapacityInternal(AbstractStringBuilder.java:173)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.append(AbstractStringBuilder.java:538)
    at java.base/java.lang.StringBuilder.append(StringBuilder.java:178)
    at StringBuilderTest.main(StringBuilderTest.java:16)

(*e2) Exception example 2 in OpenJDK 17, 21

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Required array length 2147483639 + 192 is too large
    at java.base/jdk.internal.util.ArraysSupport.hugeLength(ArraysSupport.java:752)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.util.ArraysSupport.newLength(ArraysSupport.java:745)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.newCapacity(AbstractStringBuilder.java:263)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.ensureCapacityInternal(AbstractStringBuilder.java:243)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.append(AbstractStringBuilder.java:587)
    at java.base/java.lang.StringBuilder.append(StringBuilder.java:179)
    at StringBuilderTest.main(StringBuilderTest.java:16)

(*e3) Exception example 3 in OpenJDK 8, 11, 17, 21

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space
    at java.base/java.util.Arrays.copyOf(Arrays.java:3541)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.ensureCapacityInternal(AbstractStringBuilder.java:242)
    at java.base/java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.append(AbstractStringBuilder.java:587)
    at java.base/java.lang.StringBuilder.append(StringBuilder.java:179)
    at StringBuilderTest.main(StringBuilderTest.java:16)

Environment

  • OpenJDK
    • 8
    • 11
    • 17
    • 21

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