Use JMX to make HPROF heap dumps right before and after a full GC

.hotspotrc

+PrintGCDetails

demo.groovy

import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory
import com.sun.management.HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean

HOTSPOT_BEAN_NAME = "com.sun.management:type=HotSpotDiagnostic"
server = ManagementFactory.platformMBeanServer
bean = ManagementFactory.newPlatformMXBeanProxy(server, HOTSPOT_BEAN_NAME, HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean)
bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpBeforeFullGC', 'true')
bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpAfterFullGC', 'true')
System.gc()
bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpBeforeFullGC', 'false')
bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpAfterFullGC', 'false')
quit

Groovy Shell Demo Session

$ groovysh
[GC [PSYoungGen: 14016K->1312K(16320K)] 14016K->1312K(53696K), 0.0111510 secs] [Times: user=0.01 sys=0.00, real=0.00 secs] 
[GC [PSYoungGen: 15328K->2272K(30336K)] 15328K->4832K(67712K), 0.0286280 secs] [Times: user=0.02 sys=0.03, real=0.03 secs] 
Groovy Shell (1.7.7, JVM: 1.6.0_25)
Type 'help' or '\h' for help.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
groovy:000> import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory
===> [import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory]
groovy:000> import com.sun.management.HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean
===> [import java.lang.management.ManagementFactory, import com.sun.management.HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean]
groovy:000> 
groovy:000> HOTSPOT_BEAN_NAME = "com.sun.management:type=HotSpotDiagnostic"
===> com.sun.management:type=HotSpotDiagnostic
groovy:000> server = ManagementFactory.platformMBeanServer
[GC [PSYoungGen: 30304K->2288K(30336K)] 32864K->8856K(67712K), 0.0643130 secs] [Times: user=0.16 sys=0.01, real=0.07 secs] 
===> com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer@7297e3a5
groovy:000> bean = ManagementFactory.newPlatformMXBeanProxy(server, HOTSPOT_BEAN_NAME, HotSpotDiagnosticMXBean)
===> MXBeanProxy(com.sun.jmx.mbeanserver.JmxMBeanServer@7297e3a5[com.sun.management:type=HotSpotDiagnostic])
groovy:000> bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpBeforeFullGC', 'true')
===> null
groovy:000> bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpAfterFullGC', 'true')
===> null
groovy:000> System.gc()
[GC [PSYoungGen: 10460K->2288K(58368K)] 17028K->9639K(95744K), 0.0166920 secs] [Times: user=0.03 sys=0.00, real=0.02 secs] 
[Heap Dump: Dumping heap to java_pid16836.hprof ...
Heap dump file created [20066598 bytes in 0.347 secs]
, 0.3514030 secs][Full GC (System) [PSYoungGen: 2288K->0K(58368K)] [PSOldGen: 7351K->9621K(37376K)] 9639K->9621K(95744K) [PSPermGen: 18626K->18626K(37824K)], 0.1324840 secs] [Times: user=0.12 sys=0.02, real=0.14 secs] 
[Heap DumpDumping heap to java_pid16836.hprof.1 ...
Heap dump file created [20013677 bytes in 0.340 secs]
, 0.3398950 secs]===> null
groovy:000> bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpBeforeFullGC', 'false')
===> null
groovy:000> bean.setVMOption('HeapDumpAfterFullGC', 'false')
===> null
groovy:000> quit
Heap
 PSYoungGen      total 58368K, used 9250K [0x00000000edc00000, 0x00000000f1740000, 0x0000000100000000)
  eden space 56064K, 16% used [0x00000000edc00000,0x00000000ee5089b0,0x00000000f12c0000)
  from space 2304K, 0% used [0x00000000f1500000,0x00000000f1500000,0x00000000f1740000)
  to   space 2304K, 0% used [0x00000000f12c0000,0x00000000f12c0000,0x00000000f1500000)
 PSOldGen        total 37376K, used 9621K [0x00000000c9400000, 0x00000000cb880000, 0x00000000edc00000)
  object space 37376K, 25% used [0x00000000c9400000,0x00000000c9d65410,0x00000000cb880000)
 PSPermGen       total 37824K, used 18758K [0x00000000c4200000, 0x00000000c66f0000, 0x00000000c9400000)
  object space 37824K, 49% used [0x00000000c4200000,0x00000000c5451ba8,0x00000000c66f0000)