Java (Memory) Heap Snapshots

[Vormund]

I'm new to the Java world...and have come to the point where it'd be nice to obtain a heap snapshot for use with a memory analyzer, such as hat (https://hat.dev.java.net/)--but I am at a loss as how to obtain the snapshot itself.

I run a java server on my local computer, so I suppose there must be some way to obtain a snapshot at any given time?

Has anyone delt with this before / could shine some light on the subject?

Thanks!