StackOverflowError ☕ Java

java.lang.StackOverflowError

The thread’s call stack overflowed — almost always unbounded recursion, sometimes a bidirectional toString/equals/JSON cycle.

Seen on: Java Android

Meaning

The stack trace repeats the same few frames. Common non-obvious sources: JPA entities with bidirectional relations in toString()/hashCode() (Lombok @Data), Jackson serialising cycles, and Spring beans calling each other.

Common causes

  • Recursion without a terminating condition
  • Lombok @Data / toString on bidirectional JPA relations
  • Jackson serialising parent ↔ child references
  • Very deep (legitimate) recursion on large inputs

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Find the repeating frames in the trace
  2. Exclude back-references from toString/equals (@ToString.Exclude)
  3. Use @JsonManagedReference/@JsonBackReference or DTOs
  4. Convert deep recursion to iteration, or raise -Xss as a last resort

Detailed fix by platform

Java

  1. Break JPA/Lombok cycles:
    java
    @Entity @Getter @Setter
public class Order {
    @ManyToOne
    @ToString.Exclude @EqualsAndHashCode.Exclude
    @JsonBackReference
    private Customer customer;
}

How to diagnose

  1. Frames — Which methods repeat?
  2. Entities — toString/equals/JSON cycles?
  3. Input size — Legitimately deep recursion?

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