There are several cases when JVM doesn't behave properly in case AOT config or cache files are not properly specified:

1) JVM crashes in case AOT config file is not specified:

   # Internal Error (/home/katya/work/JavaSE/Hotspot/ws/git/jdk.jdk.master/open/src/hotspot/share/cds/filemap.cpp:397), pid=30574, tid=30575
   # assert(_archive_name != nullptr) failed: Archive name is null


   steps to reproduce:
   > TESTED_JDK/bin/java -XX:AOTMode=create -XX:AOTConfiguration= -XX:AOTCache=aot.cache -version

     

2) JVM crashes in case AOT cache file is not specified:
   
   # Internal Error (/home/katya/work/JavaSE/Hotspot/ws/git/jdk.jdk.master/open/src/hotspot/share/cds/metaspaceShared.cpp:696), pid=30667, tid=30679
   # assert(static_archive != nullptr) failed: SharedArchiveFile not set?

   steps to reproduce:
   > TESTED_JDK/bin/java -XX:AOTMode=record -XX:AOTConfiguration=aot.conf -version
   > TESTED_JDK/bin/java -XX:AOTMode=create -XX:AOTConfiguration=aot.conf -XX:AOTCache= -version


3) No error message is printed in case AOT config file is not specified:

  steps to reproduce:

   > TESTED_JDK/bin/java -XX:AOTMode=record -XX:AOTConfiguration= -version
     Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (fastdebug build 25-internal-LTS-2025-03-04-2232391.katya...)
     Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (fastdebug build 25-internal-LTS-2025-03-04-2232391.katya..., mixed mode)
     AOTConfiguration recorded: (null)