Amazon.com
Besides an expert tour of the inner workings of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM),
Programming for the Java Virtual Machine provides a guide to
Oolong, a low-level assembly language for Java. Behind Java's "write once, run anywhere" philosophy lies the JVM, an ideal model of a CPU with instructions (called bytecodes), memory, etc. In today's Java compilers, the details of the JVM are invisible, but this book explores how to write the bytecodes directly in Oolong.
In the initial stages of the book, the author focuses on the Oolong instruction set, presenting this object-oriented assembly language for Java in a notably clear fashion. The author even demonstrates the basics of Oolong, including classes, using concise examples.
The Java verification process, which allows the JVM to check whether a given Java .class file is safe to run, receives detailed attention as do debugging techniques, the Java class loader, and the contents of .class files. The book then offers a thorough description of how Java language elements are compiled into bytecodes, illustrated with Oolong.
In a section aimed specifically at researchers, the author shows how other programming languages can be coded in Oolong for use with the JVM, including Scheme, Prolog, and C++ templates. The book closes with a discussion of performance issues (including optimization techniques), security concerns, and a full listing of the Oolong instruction set.
Programming for the Java Virtual Machine is sure to show up on reading lists for computer science students. It shows that assembly language does not disappear on the Java platform, but rather that it can extend the functionality and performance of your Java programs. --Richard Dragan
Kurzbeschreibung
The core of Java technology, the Java virtual machine is an abstract computing machine that enables the Java platform to host applications on any computer or operating system without rewriting or recompiling. Anyone interested in designing a language or writing a compiler for the Java virtual machine must have an in-depth understanding of its binary class format and instruction set. If you are programming with the Java programming language, knowledge of the Java virtual machine will give you valuable insight into the Java platform's security capabilities and cross-platform portability. It will increase your understanding of the Java programming language, enabling you to improve the security and performance of your programs. The author employs a tutorial approach that provides a detailed look into the central workings of the technology and teaches the reader how to write real programs for the Java virtual machine. He describes methods for becoming a better programmer through an advanced understanding of the Java virtual machine and Java technology. Programming for the Java Virtual Machine offers comprehensive coverage of all the major elements of the Java virtual machine--classes and objects, control instructions, debugging, class loaders, compiling the Java programming language, performance issues, security, and threads and synchronization. The book provides an introduction to the Java Virtual Machine Specification (JVMS), with a collection of topics that help programmers understand the Java virtual machine and the JVMS better. In addition, the book features implementations of Prolog and Scheme, a language that runs on top of the Java virtual machine, generating Java virtual machine code as it runs and using a Java virtual machine class loader to load the generated code into the system. You will find detailed information on such topics as: *The Java virtual machine verification algorithm *How Java virtual machine security works, and what it can and can't do *Using class loaders to incorporate code and dynamically generated code from the Internet, the Java Foundation Classes, database queries, and other languages *The mechanics of compiling the Java programming language for the Java virtual machine *Implementing other languages using the Java virtual machine, including Scheme, Prolog, Sather, Eiffel, and regular expressions Numerous examples illustrate techniques and concepts, and exercises with solutions help you gain practical experience. 0201309726B04062001
