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criticalJava ErrorsAffects: All versions

How to Fix Java Heap Space on Servers

Fix Java Heap Space on Minecraft servers by increasing -Xmx in the start script and optimizing garbage collection.

Quick Fix

Edit your server start script to increase -Xmx. Use at least 4GB for vanilla, 6-8GB for modded.

Error Message

java.lang.OutOfMemoryError: Java heap space (Server)

How to Fix

1

Edit start.sh or start.bat to increase -Xmx (e.g., -Xmx8G)

2

Use G1GC: -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=50 -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled

3

Limit view distance in server.properties (8-10 chunks)

4

Use Spark profiler to find memory leaks

5

Set a world border to limit loaded chunks

Common Causes

  • Server start script allocates too little RAM
  • Too many players or loaded chunks
  • Plugin memory leak
  • Pre-generation tools loading too many chunks at once

Diagnostic Steps

  1. Check current -Xmx in start script
  2. Increase to appropriate size for your player count and mods
  3. Add G1GC flags for better garbage collection
  4. Monitor memory with Spark

FAQ

How much RAM for a modded server?

6-8GB for a modded server with 10-20 players. Increase if using heavy modpacks. Never exceed your host's physical RAM.

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