The Java Virtual Machine Specification, Java SE 7 Edition

by Tim Lindholm, Frank Yellin, Gilad Bracha

Gain an in-depth understanding of the Java SE 7 JVM spec: sophisticated technical knowledge for implementing Java SE 7 bytecode interpreters or Java compilers, and optimizing Java program performance and efficiency. Authored by original members of the team that created the Java Virtual Machine at Sun, and fully updated by Oracle Java SE 7 spec lead Alex Buckley, The Java Virtual Machine Specification, Java SE 7 Edition offers an exceptionally thorough look at the Java platform's inner workings. Developers will find in-depth discussions of the JVM instruction set, with detailed examples showing how to compile Java code to it. Buckley and his colleagues illuminate the vital topic of Java virtual machine threads and their interaction with memory; and thoroughly discuss how interactions amongst program elements such as objects, variables, data types, arrays, exceptions and threads impact compile and run time. The authors explain the JVM's binary .class format, showing how Java interpreters should verify .class files' validity and trustworthiness, and carry out loading and linking operations on the objects they define. Part II offers a comprehensive reference to all Java opcodes: their purposes, formats, accepted operands, and the exceptions they can throw during compilation and execution.

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2013