How can I specify the default JVM arguments for programs I run from eclipse?

Solution 1:

Go to Window → Preferences → Java → Installed JREs. Select the JRE you're using, click Edit, and there will be a line for Default VM Arguments which will apply to every execution. For instance, I use this on OS X to hide the icon from the dock, increase max memory and turn on assertions:

-Xmx512m -ea -Djava.awt.headless=true

Solution 2:

Yes, right click the project. Click Run as then Run Configurations. You can change the parameters passed to the JVM in the Arguments tab in the VM Arguments box.

That configuration can then be used as the default when running the project.