Java array using stack space

Question

This is the usual way for declare a Java array:

int[] arr = new int[100];

But this array is using heap space. Is there a way we can declare an array using stack space like c++?

Answer 1

Arrays are objects irrespective of whether it holds primitive type or object type, so like any other object its allocated space on the heap.

But then from Java 6u23 version, Escape Analysis came into existence, which is by default activated in Java 7.

Escape Analysis is about the scope of the object, when an object is defined inside a method scope rather than a class scope, then the JVM knows that this object cant escape this limited method scope, and applies various optimization on it.. like Constant folding, etc

Then it can also allocate the object which is defined in the method scope,
on the Thread's Stack, which is accessing the method.

Answer 2

In a word, no.

The only variables that are stored on the stack are primitives and object references. In your example, the arr reference is stored on the stack, but it references data that is on the heap.

If you're asking this question coming from C++ because you want to be sure your memory is cleaned up, read about garbage collection. In short, Java automatically takes care of cleaning up memory in the heap as well as memory on the stack.