What is an error in Java?

An Error in Java is a subclass of Throwable that indicates serious problems that a normal application should not attempt to catch or handle. Such problems occur outside the control of the application and usually indicate a non-standard situation or a failure in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment.

Examples of Error:

• OutOfMemoryError: Occurs when the JVM cannot allocate an object due to lack of memory, and the garbage collector cannot free enough space.
• StackOverflowError: Happens when the execution stack overflows, for example, due to infinite recursion without an exit condition.
• InternalError: Indicates an internal JVM error.
• UnknownError: Indicates an unknown but serious problem.

Difference between Error and Exception:

• Exception indicates conditions that the application might attempt to handle (e.g., IOException, NullPointerException).
• Error indicates unrecoverable or critical conditions that usually require the application to terminate (e.g., JVM failure).

Errors, as a rule, should not be caught in try-catch blocks, except possibly for logging or application shutdown. Attempting to handle an Error may be ineffective or even exacerbate the problem.