# Interface HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean

All Superinterfaces:
  `PlatformManagedObject`

public interface HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean extends PlatformManagedObject
Diagnostic management interface for the HotSpot Virtual Machine.

The diagnostic MBean is registered to the platform MBeanServer as are other platform MBeans.

The `ObjectName` for uniquely identifying the diagnostic MXBean within an MBeanServer is:

> `com.sun.management:type=HotSpotDiagnostic`

It can be obtained by calling the `PlatformManagedObject.getObjectName()` method. All methods throw a `NullPointerException` if any input argument is `null` unless it's stated otherwise.

Since:
  1.6
See Also:
  - `ManagementFactory.getPlatformMXBeans(Class)`

- ## Nested Class Summary

  Nested Classes
  Modifier and Type
  Interface
  Description
  `static enum`
  `HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean.ThreadDumpFormat`
  Thread dump format.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `void`
  `dumpHeap(String outputFile, boolean live)`
  Dumps the heap to the `outputFile` file in the same format as the hprof heap dump.
  `default void`
  `dumpThreads(String outputFile, HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean.ThreadDumpFormat format)`
  Generate a thread dump to the given file in the given format.
  `List<VMOption>`
  `getDiagnosticOptions()`
  Returns a list of `VMOption` objects for all diagnostic options.
  `VMOption`
  `getVMOption(String name)`
  Returns a `VMOption` object for a VM option of the given name.
  `void`
  `setVMOption(String name, String value)`
  Sets a VM option of the given name to the specified value.

  ### Methods declared in interface PlatformManagedObject

  `getObjectName`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `ObjectName`
  `getObjectName()`
  Returns an `ObjectName` instance representing the object name of this platform managed object.

- ## Method Details

  - ### dumpHeap

    void dumpHeap(String outputFile, boolean live) throws IOException
    Dumps the heap to the `outputFile` file in the same format as the hprof heap dump.

    If this method is called remotely from another process, the heap dump output is written to a file named `outputFile` on the machine where the target VM is running. If outputFile is a relative path, it is relative to the working directory where the target VM was started.

    Parameters:
      `outputFile` - the system-dependent filename
      `live` - if `true` dump only live objects i.e. objects that are reachable from others
    Throws:
      `IOException` - if the `outputFile` already exists, cannot be created, opened, or written to.
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - if this operation is not supported.
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if `outputFile` does not end with ".hprof" suffix.
      `NullPointerException` - if `outputFile` is `null`.

  - ### getDiagnosticOptions

    List<VMOption> getDiagnosticOptions()
    Returns a list of `VMOption` objects for all diagnostic options. A diagnostic option is a `writeable` VM option that can be set dynamically mainly for troubleshooting and diagnosis.
    Returns:
      a list of `VMOption` objects for all diagnostic options.

  - ### getVMOption

    VMOption getVMOption(String name)
    Returns a `VMOption` object for a VM option of the given name.
    Returns:
      a `VMOption` object for a VM option of the given name.
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if name is `null`.
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if a VM option of the given name does not exist.

  - ### setVMOption

    void setVMOption(String name, String value)
    Sets a VM option of the given name to the specified value. The new value will be reflected in a new `VMOption` object returned by the `getVMOption(String)` method or the `getDiagnosticOptions()` method. This method does not change the value of this `VMOption` object.
    Parameters:
      `name` - Name of a VM option
      `value` - New value of the VM option to be set
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the VM option of the given name does not exist.
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the new value is invalid.
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the VM option is not writable.
      `NullPointerException` - if name or value is `null`.

  - ### dumpThreads

    default void dumpThreads(String outputFile, HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean.ThreadDumpFormat format) throws IOException
    Generate a thread dump to the given file in the given format. The `outputFile` parameter must be an absolute path to a file that does not exist.

    When the format is specified as `JSON`, the thread dump is generated in JavaScript Object Notation. threadDump.schema.json describes the thread dump format in draft JSON Schema Language version 2.

    The thread dump will include output for all platform threads. It may include output for some or all virtual threads.

    API Note:
      The output file is required to be an absolute path as the MXBean may be accessed remotely from a tool or program with a different current working directory.
    Implementation Requirements:
      The default implementation throws `UnsupportedOperationException`.
    Parameters:
      `outputFile` - the path to the file to create
      `format` - the format to use
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the file path is not absolute
      `IOException` - if the file already exists or an I/O exception is thrown writing to the file
      `NullPointerException` - if either parameter is `null`
      `UnsupportedOperationException` - if this operation is not supported
    Since:
      21