IllegalStateException in Java — What It Means and How to Fix It
What Java's IllegalStateException means and how to fix it.
Published November 2, 2026
IllegalStateException is thrown to indicate a method was called at a time when the object isn't in an appropriate state for it.
Key points
- Read the full stack trace from the top — it names the exact class, method, and line where the exception originated
Example
For example, calling next() on an Iterator that has no more elements