public_suffix_list.dat is considered a type of Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file. Dynamic Link Library files, like public_suffix_list.dat, are essentially a "guide book" that stores information and instructions for executable (EXE) files - like app.exe - to follow. These files were created so that multiple programs (eg. NetBeans) could share the same public_suffix_list.dat file, saving valuable memory allocation, therefore making your computer run more efficiently.
Unfortunately, what makes DLL files so convenient and efficient, also makes them extremely vulnerable to problems. If something happens to a shared DAT file, either it goes missing or gets corrupted in some way, it can generate a "runtime" error message. Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these errors are triggered when public_suffix_list.dat is attempted to be loaded either when NetBeans is starting up, or in some cases already running. Some of the most common public_suffix_list.dat errors include:
- Access Violation at address - public_suffix_list.dat.
- public_suffix_list.dat could not be found.
- Cannot find C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-13.0.2\lib\security\public_suffix_list.dat.
- Cannot register public_suffix_list.dat.
- Cannot start NetBeans. A required component is missing: public_suffix_list.dat. Please install NetBeans again.
- Failed to load public_suffix_list.dat.
- The application has failed to start because public_suffix_list.dat was not found.
- The file public_suffix_list.dat is missing or corrupt.
- This application failed to start because public_suffix_list.dat was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
Your public_suffix_list.dat file could be missing due to accidental deletion, uninstalled as a shared file of another program (shared with NetBeans), or deleted by a malware infection. Furthermore, public_suffix_list.dat file corruption could be caused from a power outage when loading NetBeans, system crash while loading public_suffix_list.dat, bad sectors on your storage media (usually your primary hard drive), or quite commonly, a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.