Below is a comprehensive document that explains what heap dumps are, outlines the step-by-step

process of analyzing them using the Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT), and describes the
purposes behind performing heap dump analysis.

Heap Dumps and Analysis Process Using the Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT)

Document Version: 1.0

Date: [Insert Date]

Table of Contents

1. Introduc on

2. What is a Heap Dump?

3. Purposes of Heap Dump Analysis

4. Overview of the Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT)

5. Detailed Process for Heap Dump Analysis Using MAT

o 5.1 Step 1: Genera ng a Heap Dump

o 5.2 Step 2: Loading the Heap Dump into MAT

o 5.3 Step 3: Exploring the Heap Dump Structure

o 5.4 Step 4: Analyzing Memory Usage and Object Reten on

o 5.5 Step 5: Detec ng Memory Leaks and Problema c Objects

o 5.6 Step 6: Documen ng Findings and Next Steps

6. Best Prac ces

7. Conclusion

8. Appendices

1. Introduc on

Heap dumps are snapshots of the memory of a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) at a specific point in me.
They capture all the objects and classes in memory and are crucial for diagnosing memory-related
issues such as memory leaks, excessive memory consump on, and inefficient object reten on. This
document outlines the process of genera ng and analyzing heap dumps using the Eclipse Memory
Analyzer Tool (MAT) and discusses the purposes behind performing this analysis.

2. What is a Heap Dump?

A heap dump is a complete snapshot of the JVM heap memory. It includes:

  Objects and Instances: All objects currently in memory, along with their fields and values.

 Class Metadata: Informa on about the classes of objects stored in the heap.

 Object References: Rela onships between objects, showing how they reference one another.

 Memory Alloca on Details: Data on the size and number of objects, which can help pinpoint
where memory is being consumed.

Heap dumps are typically generated when an applica on runs out of memory or during
troubleshoo ng to capture the state of the applica on’s memory.

3. Purposes of Heap Dump Analysis

Analyzing heap dumps can help you:

 Detect Memory Leaks: Iden fy objects that are retained longer than expected and not
released.

 Op mize Memory Usage: Understand which objects consume the most memory and assess
opportuni es for op miza on.

 Debug Applica on Behavior: Gain insights into object rela onships and lifecycles.

 Improve Performance: By iden fying and addressing inefficient object reten on, you can
improve applica on response mes and stability.

4. Overview of the Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT)

The Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT) is a powerful open-source tool designed for analyzing Java
heap dumps. Its key features include:

 Efficient Analysis: Ability to handle large heap dump files.

 Dominator Tree: Visualizes object reten on, helping iden fy which objects are preven ng
garbage collec on.

 Leak Suspect Reports: Automated reports that flag poten al memory leaks.

 OQL (Object Query Language): Allows custom queries on the heap dump to retrieve specific
data.

 Graphical User Interface: Intui ve dashboards and views that make it easier to explore
memory usage.

5. Detailed Process for Heap Dump Analysis Using MAT

5.1 Step 1: Genera ng a Heap Dump

 Iden fy the Issue:

Monitor for signs of memory-related problems (e.g., OutOfMemoryError, high memory
consump on, or performance degrada on).
  Generate the Dump:
Use JVM op ons or administra ve tools to generate a heap dump. For example:

o On IBM or Oracle JVMs:

Configure the JVM with parameters like -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError to
automa cally generate a dump when memory issues occur.

o Manually:
Use tools such as jmap:

o jmap -dump:live,format=b,file=heapdump.hprof <JVM_PID>

 Save the Dump:

Ensure the generated heap dump is saved to a file (commonly with a .hprof extension).

5.2 Step 2: Loading the Heap Dump into MAT

 Launch MAT:
Start the Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool on your worksta on.

 Import the Heap Dump:

o Use the “File > Open Heap Dump” menu to load the .hprof file.

o Wait for MAT to parse the dump, which may take some me depending on the file
size.

 Verify Parsing:
Confirm that MAT has successfully parsed the dump and that key summaries (such as object
counts and sizes) are available.

5.3 Step 3: Exploring the Heap Dump Structure

 Overview:
Familiarize yourself with the main views:

o Histogram View:
Displays all classes and the number of instances, along with the total memory
consumed.

o Dominator Tree:
Shows the domina ng objects that are retaining memory and preven ng garbage
collec on.

o Top Consumers:
Lists the classes or objects consuming the most memory.

 Naviga on:
Use MAT’s naviga on features to drill down into specific objects or classes to explore
rela onships and references.
5.4 Step 4: Analyzing Memory Usage and Object Reten on

 Histogram Analysis:

o Iden fy classes with unusually high instance counts or large total memory sizes.

o Sort the histogram by retained heap size to focus on high-impact classes.

 Dominator Tree Analysis:

o Examine the dominator tree to iden fy objects that hold significant memory.

o Iden fy “leak suspects” by checking objects that have large retained sizes and
unexpected references.

 Using OQL:

o Run custom queries using OQL to pinpoint specific pa erns or anomalies in object
reten on.

o Example Query:

o SELECT s, s.retainedHeapSize

o FROM objects s

o WHERE s.class.name == 'com.example.YourClass'

o ORDER BY s.retainedHeapSize DESC

5.5 Step 5: Detec ng Memory Leaks and Problema c Objects

 Leak Suspect Report:

o Run the automated “Leak Suspects Report” available in MAT to get a quick overview
of poten al memory leaks.

o Review the report for any flagged objects that are unusually retained.

 Manual Inspec on:

o Trace object references using MAT’s “Path to GC Roots” feature to understand why
an object is not being garbage collected.

o Iden fy any uninten onal object reten on (e.g., caches not being cleared, listeners
not deregistered).

 Correlate Findings:

o Combine insights from the histogram, dominator tree, and OQL queries to build a
complete picture of the memory leak or inefficient memory usage.

5.6 Step 6: Documen ng Findings and Next Steps

 Summarize Observa ons:

 o Document the key findings, such as classes with high instance counts, large retained
sizes, and iden fied leak suspects.

 Detail Problem Areas:

o Include screenshots from MAT, OQL query results, and snippets of the dominator
tree.

o Explain why certain objects are problema c and how they impact memory usage.

 Recommend Remedia on:

o Suggest code or configura on changes to address the iden fied memory issues (e.g.,
proper release of resources, improvements to caching mechanisms).

 Generate a Formal Report:

o Create a comprehensive report that includes all analysis steps, findings, and
recommended ac ons, and share it with the development and opera ons teams.

6. Best Prac ces

 Rou ne Analysis:

o Regularly capture and analyze heap dumps, even when no issues are reported, to
establish baseline memory usage.

 Version Control:

o Maintain historical records of heap dump analysis reports to monitor trends and
improvements over me.

 Collabora ve Inves ga on:

o Work closely with developers to understand the applica on context and refine the
analysis.

 Automate Heap Dump Collec on:

o Configure automated triggers (e.g., on OutOfMemoryError) to capture heap dumps

during produc on issues.

 Secure Storage:

o Ensure that heap dump files are stored securely as they may contain sensi ve
informa on.

7. Conclusion

Heap dump analysis is an essen al process for diagnosing and resolving memory-related issues in
Java applica ons. The Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT) provides powerful features to analyze
object reten on, detect memory leaks, and op mize memory usage. By following the detailed
process outlined in this document—from genera ng and loading the heap dump to detailed analysis
and repor ng—teams can gain valuable insights into applica on memory behavior and take
correc ve ac ons to improve performance and stability.

8. Appendices

8.1 Glossary of Terms

 Heap Dump: A snapshot of the JVM heap memory, capturing all objects, classes, and their
rela onships at a specific point in me.

 Histogram: A view showing class names, instance counts, and memory consump on.

 Dominator Tree: A representa on of object reten on, highligh ng objects that prevent
garbage collec on.

 OQL (Object Query Language): A query language used to retrieve informa on from a heap
dump.

 Leak Suspect Report: An automated report in MAT that flags poten al memory leaks.

8.2 Reference Materials

 Eclipse Memory Analyzer Tool (MAT) Documenta on

 MAT User Guide and Tutorials

 Internal performance reports and incident documenta on related to memory issues.

8.3 Sample Diagrams

 Architectural Diagram:
Illustrate how the JVM generates a heap dump and how MAT is used to load, analyze, and
report on the dump.

 Process Flow Diagram:

A flowchart depic ng the end-to-end process: genera ng a heap dump, loading it into MAT,
exploring the dump, analyzing memory usage, detec ng leaks, and documen ng findings.

This document should be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in processes, tools, or
applica on environments.

Feel free to modify this template to suit your organiza on's specific needs. If you require further
customiza on or addi onal details, please let me know!