MemoryError
In Python, MemoryError is a built-in exception that occurs when your program runs out of memory. This typically happens when you try to allocate more memory than is available on your system.
Python raises a MemoryError to signal that it can’t fulfill a memory allocation request, such as creating a large list or loading a large file into memory.
MemoryError Occurs When
- Handling large data processing tasks where memory constraints are a concern
- Implementing fail-safes in applications that handle memory-intensive operations
- Writing applications that need to run on systems with limited memory resources
Related Resources
Tutorial
Memory Management in Python
Get ready for a deep dive into the internals of Python to understand how it handles memory management. By the end of this article, you’ll know more about low-level computing, understand how Python abstracts lower-level operations, and find out about Python’s internal memory management algorithms.
For additional information on related topics, take a look at the following resources:
- Python Exceptions: An Introduction (Tutorial)
- How Python Manages Memory (Course)
- Raising and Handling Python Exceptions (Course)
- Introduction to Python Exceptions (Course)
- Python Exceptions: An Introduction (Quiz)
By Leodanis Pozo Ramos • Updated May 22, 2025