MaxPermSize and how it relates to the overall heap

(Got from Google page cache. Lost the Author)

MaxPermSize and how it relates to the overall heap
Many people have asked if the MaxPermSize value is a part of the overall -Xmx heap setting or additional to it. There is a GC document on the Sun website which is causing some confusion due to a somewhat vague explanation and an errant diagram. The more I look at this document, the more I think the original author has made a subtle mistake in describing -Xmx as it relates to the PermSize and MaxPermSize.

First, a quick definition of the "permanent generation".
"The permanent generation is used to hold reflective data of the VM itself such as class objects and method objects. These reflective objects are allocated directly into the permanent generation, and it is sized independently from the other generations." [ref]

Yes, PermSize is additional to the -Xmx value set by the user on the JVM options. But MaxPermSize allows for the JVM to be able to grow the PermSize to the amount specified. Initially when the VM is loaded, the MaxPermSize will still be the default value (32mb for -client and 64mb for -server) but will not actually take up that amount until it is needed. On the other hand, if you were to set BOTH PermSize and MaxPermSize to 256mb, you would notice that the overall heap has increased by 256mb additional to the -Xmx setting.

So for example, if you set your -Xmx to 256m and your -MaxPermSize to 256m, you could check with the Solaris 'pmap' command how much memory the resulting process is taking up.

i.e.,
$ uname -a
SunOS devnull 5.8 Generic_108528-27 sun4u sparc
SUNW,UltraSPARC-IIi-cEngine

$ java -version
java version "1.3.1_02"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.3.1_02-b02)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.3.1_02-b02, mixed mode)

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$ java -Xms256m -Xmx256m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m Hello &
$ pmap 6432
6432: /usr/java1.3.1/bin/../bin/sparc/native_threads/java -Xms256m -Xmx256m
total 288416K
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Notice above that the overall heap is not 256m+256m yet? Why? We did not specify PermSize yet, only MaxPermSize.

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$ java -Xms256m -Xmx256m -XX:PermSize=256m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m Hello &
$ pmap 6472
6472: /usr/java1.3.1/bin/../bin/sparc/native_threads/java -Xms256m -Xmx256m
total 550544K
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Now we see the overall heap grow, -Xmx+PermSize. This shows conclusive proof that PermSize and MaxPermSize are additional to the -Xmx setting.