All Java objects are dynamically allocated. You're always passing around references to them. This is how the language is designed. When you do:

CopyClassA obj = new ClassA();

Then the object is allocated on the heap and a reference to it is stored on the stack (assuming that's inside a method, of course). What this means is that you can always pass objects about without worrying about where they are stored.

Answer from Donal Fellows on Stack Overflow
🌐
Upgrad
upgrad.com › home › blog › software development › what is memory allocation in java? learn key memory areas
Memory Allocation in Java and its Types: Examples Included
August 4, 2025 - Each thread in Java has its own stack memory, used for storing method calls, local variables, and control flow information. This isolated stack prevents interference between threads and helps avoid data corruption in local variables. However, improper recursion or deep method calls in any thread can lead to a StackOverflowError, affecting the thread’s execution. ... The Heap is shared among all threads and is the primary area for dynamic memory allocation ...
Discussions

Does Java have any limitations on dynamic memory allocation?
You'll want to look around at the -Xmx jvm option and related. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/learnprogramming
14
7
April 3, 2022
Static and Dynamic memory in Java - Stack Overflow
int x; int y=10; What type of memory is allocated in Java? I heard that everything in Java is allocated dynamic memory. That is true for objects, but does the same rule follow for primitive data ty... More on stackoverflow.com
🌐 stackoverflow.com
Dynamic Memory Allocation
In your own words, can you describe the differences between dynamic memory allocation and "normal" memory allocation, as you understand them? I think that may go a long way in helping you find a helpful response. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/C_Programming
11
8
April 27, 2022
Can anyone explain dynamic memory allocation for a beginner?
An array is a list of values stored contiguously in memory. A pointer "points" to the location of the first element. The array can contain ints, floats, chars etc. But it can also be a list of pointers. Each of these pointers will point to the start of another array, with something like ints etc. in it. So a 2D array is like a list of lists. A 3D array is just an array of pointers. Each pointer will "point" to another array. This array will also be a list of pointers. Then, finally, each of the pointers in this list will "point" to a list of values, say ints for example. So a 3D array is a list. In this lists are other lists. Finally, each of these lists has the info you want. Hopefully I was clear and didn't make it confusing. A find drawing a diagram is a good way to explain it but unfortunately I can't really do that on here. Maybe try google some helpful images to make it clearer in your head. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/C_Programming
11
0
November 15, 2019
People also ask

What is static and dynamic allocation in Java?
Static allocation happens on the stack at compile time for local variables and function parameters. They are automatically freed once the method ends. Dynamic allocation occurs in the heap for objects created with new. These objects stay in memory until the garbage collector removes them.
🌐
upgrad.com
upgrad.com › home › blog › software development › what is memory allocation in java? learn key memory areas
Memory Allocation in Java and its Types: Examples Included
How do I allocate more memory to Java?
Use the -Xms (initial heap) and -Xmx (maximum heap) flags when starting the JVM.  For example: java -Xms512m -Xmx2g MyApp This allocates an initial 512 MB of heap space and allows up to 2 GB if needed.
🌐
upgrad.com
upgrad.com › home › blog › software development › what is memory allocation in java? learn key memory areas
Memory Allocation in Java and its Types: Examples Included
What are the 5 types of memory in Java?
Here are the 5 key types: Heap Area: Stores objects and arrays. Method Area: Holds class-level data like bytecode and static variables. Stack Memory: Keeps local variables, method parameters, and return addresses for each thread. Program Counter (PC) Registers: Track the current bytecode instruction for each thread. Native Method Stacks: Used by JNI or non-Java code invoked from Java.
🌐
upgrad.com
upgrad.com › home › blog › software development › what is memory allocation in java? learn key memory areas
Memory Allocation in Java and its Types: Examples Included
🌐
Java Challengers
javachallengers.com › home › memory allocation with java
Memory Allocation with Java
May 2, 2023 - The static memory in Java is the stack memory. The stack memory will keep methods and variables alive until they are finished. It’s also thread-safe. The dynamic memory in Java is the heap memory.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @ankitachaturvedi0310 › static-and-dynamic-memory-allocation-1f43a0d45f83
Static and Dynamic Memory Allocation | by Ankita Chaturvedi | Medium
June 2, 2020 - In java, .java files are converted to .class files in this stage. What is runtime?- It’s the secondary stage wherein .class file is getting executed. ... Size is fixed and cannot be increased or decreased during runtime. If we have assigned huge size and does not use it full fledged then we will end up wasting the memory or in vice versa case we will run out of memory which is called Stack Overflow. Thus Dynamic Memory allocation ...
🌐
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › g-fact-46
How are Java Objects Stored in Memory? | GeeksforGeeks
January 10, 2025 - In Java, all objects are dynamically stored in the Heap memory while references to those objects are stored in the stack. Objects are created with the help of "new" keyword and are allocated in the heap memory.
🌐
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › java › java-memory-management
Java Memory Management - GeeksforGeeks
Stacks size can be either fixed or dynamic and it can be set when the stack is created. The memory for stack needs not to be contiguous. Once a method completes execution, its associated stack frame is removed automatically. Native method stack is also known as C stacks. Native method stacks are not written in Java language. This memory is allocated ...
Published   November 27, 2025
Find elsewhere
🌐
Quora
quora.com › How-is-the-dynamic-allocation-of-memory-done-in-Java
How is the dynamic allocation of memory done in Java? - Quora
This is how you allocate memory to object dynamically. [code]ClassName obj = new ClassName(); [/code]Then the object is allocated some memory on the heap memory and a reference to it is stor...
🌐
O'Reilly
oreilly.com › library › view › javatm-how-to › 9780133813036 › ch21lev1sec3.html
21.3 Dynamic Memory Allocation - Java™ How To Program (Early Objects), Tenth Edition [Book]
February 24, 2014 - 21.3 Dynamic Memory Allocation Creating and maintaining dynamic data structures requires dynamic memory allocation—allowing a program to obtain more memory space at execution time... - Selection from Java™ How To Program (Early Objects), Tenth Edition [Book]
Authors   Paul DeitelHarvey Deitel
Published   2014
Pages   1248
🌐
Rollbar
rollbar.com › home › java guide: what is heap space & dynamic memory allocation?
Java Guide: What is Heap Space & Dynamic Memory Allocation? | Rollbar
June 9, 2022 - To run Java applications optimally, the JVM divides memory into stack and heap memory. Whenever new variables and objects are declared, new methods are called or other similar operations are performed, the JVM designates memory to these operations from either the Stack Memory or Heap Space. Heap space is used for the dynamic memory allocation of Java objects and classes at runtime.
🌐
Weber State University
icarus.cs.weber.edu › ~dab › cs1410 › textbook › 4.Pointers › dynamic.html
4.7. Dynamic Memory: new And delete
The new operator allocates memory on the heap. Interestingly, the abstract representation of the stack and heap illustrated in Figure 2 is appropriate for C++ and Java alike (excepting, perhaps, that an instance of class Character in Java is larger than a single char in C++). Automatic variables on the stack pointing to dynamically ...
🌐
Kzoo
cs.kzoo.edu › cs230 › Resources › C › StaticVsDynMemAlloc.html
Static vs. Dynamic Memory Allocation
malloc: standard library function for memory allocation (#include <stdlib.h>); malloc returns the address of the memory it just set aside. (Note: Java object construction is dynamic: new Fish(color, loc);) Example: int i; double * memoryBlock = malloc(5*sizeof(double)); double * ptr = memoryBlock; for ( i = 3; i <= 15; i += 3, ptr++ ) *ptr = i; LabelEntry * staticEntries = malloc(5*sizeof(LabelEntry)); staticEntries[2].label = "Label1"; /* We can use array indexing with a pointer.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › javamadetranquil › memory-allocation-in-java-fb2d4498a3ed
Memory allocation in Java:. Hello Comrades, | by Rupam Jha | JavaMadeTranquil | Medium
February 27, 2021 - Whereas in case of dynamic linking it is not needed to link the actual module or library with the program, rather references to thm can be attached. Memory isn’t allocated at the time of object declaration, it gets allocated at the time of reference. For the memory allocation of objects , new() method is used, hence objects are always allocated in the heap memory. The Java ...
🌐
Coderanch
coderanch.com › t › 411975 › java › Dynamic-Memory-Allocation-arrays
Dynamic Memory Allocation for arrays (Beginning Java forum at Coderanch)
September 23, 2008 - That means "create a new array of ints with the values 0, 1, 2, 3 in and count how many there are (4)." String[] names = {"Kavin", "Preethi", "Narasimham"}; is like the 2nd example, it means "I want a String[] array and I want you to call it "names" and I want these values in it: "Kavin", ...
🌐
Quora
quora.com › How-do-we-achieve-dynamic-memory-allocation-through-Java-without-pointers
How do we achieve dynamic memory allocation through Java without pointers? - Quora
But heap space in Java is used for dynamic memory allocation for Java objects and JRE classes at the runtime. New objects are always created in heap space and the references to this objects are stored in stack ...
🌐
Baeldung
baeldung.com › home › java › jvm › stack memory and heap space in java
Stack Memory and Heap Space in Java | Baeldung
July 1, 2024 - It’s automatically allocated and deallocated when the method finishes execution. If this memory is full, Java throws java.lang.StackOverFlowError. Access to this memory is fast when compared to heap memory. This memory is threadsafe, as each thread operates in its own stack. Heap space is used for the dynamic ...
🌐
pyartz
pyartz.com › home › java › dynamic memory allocation in java
Dynamic Memory Allocation In Java
August 18, 2024 - Dynamic memory allocation is a technique used to allocate memory at runtime, rather than at compile time. It allows programmers to dynamically allocate and deallocate memory as needed, enabling more efficient use of system resources. In Java, dynamic memory allocation is achieved using the `new` keyword.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @AlexanderObregon › memory-allocation-and-storage-for-java-arrays-c68b64ba08bb
Memory Allocation and Storage for Java Arrays | Medium
March 10, 2025 - Learn how Java allocates arrays in heap memory, how indexing works, and how multi-dimensional arrays are structured for efficient storage and access.