Imagine you’re running an important application, and suddenly, multiple instances of it start executing simultaneously. This could lead to resource conflicts, file corruption, or unexpected behavior. Handling such cases effectively not only ensures smoother program execution but also provides a more robust user experience. This article explores how to detect and intercept running instances of a program in Java, with code examples and detailed explanations to illustrate the process. By the end, you’ll understand the nuances of this challenge and how to handle it effectively.