The Java Virtual Machine: - JVM Runtime Behaviour - JVM Architecture - .Class File Format - JVM Instruction Set

James Power
The Java Virtual Machine
• JVM runtime behaviour
• JVM architecture
• .class file format
• JVM instruction set
SE209 JVM - 1
James Power
Main source:
• The JavaT M Virtual Machine Specification (2nd Ed)

by Tim Lindholm & Frank Yellin
Addison-Wesley, 1999
• http://java.sun.com/docs/books/vmspec/
SE209 JVM - 2
James Power
JVM Runtime Behaviour
• VM startup
• Class Loading/Linking/Initialisation
• Instance Creation/Finalisation
• Unloading Classes
• VM exit
SE209 JVM - 3
James Power
VM Startup and Exit
Startup
• Load, link, initialise class containing main()
• Invoke main() passing it the command-line arguments
• Exit when:
– all non-daemon threads end, or
– some thread explicitly calls exit() method
SE209 JVM - 4
James Power
Class Loading
• Find the binary code for a class and create a corresponding Class object
• Done by a class loader - bootstrap, or create your own
• Optimise: prefetching, group loading, caching
• Each class-loader maintains its own namespace
• Errors include: ClassFormatError, UnsupportedClassVersionError, ClassCircularityError,

NoClassDefFoundError
SE209 JVM - 5
James Power
Class Loaders
• System classes are automatically loaded by the bootstrap class loader
• To see which: java -verbose:class Test.java
• Arrays are created by the VM, not by a class loader
• A class is unloaded when its class loader becomes unreachable (bootstrap class
loader is never unreachable)
SE209 JVM - 6
James Power
Class Linking - 1. Verification
• Extensive checks that the .class file is valid
• This is a vital part of the JVM security model
• Needed because of possibility of:

– buggy compiler, or no compiler at all
– malicious intent
– (class) version skew
• Checks are independent of compiler and language
More later...
SE209 JVM - 7
James Power
Class Linking - 2. Preparation
• Create static fields for a class
• Set these fields to the standard default values (N.B. not explicit initialisers)
• Construct method tables for a class
• ... and anything else that might improve efficiency
SE209 JVM - 8
James Power
Class Linking - 3. Resolution
• Most classes refer to methods/fields from other classes
• Resolution translates these names into explict references
• Also checks for field/method existence and whether access is allowed
SE209 JVM - 9
James Power
Class Initialisation
Happens once just before first instance creation, or first use of static variable.
• Initialise the superclass first!
• Execute (class) static initialiser code
• Execute explicit initialisers for static variables
• May not need to happen for use of final static variable
Completed before anything else sees this class
SE209 JVM - 10
James Power
Instance Creation/Finalisation
• Instances are created using new, or newInstance() from class Class
• Instances of String may be created (implicitly) for String literals
• Process:
1. Allocate space for all the instance variables (including the inherited ones),
2. Initialise them with the default values
3. Call the appropriate constructor (do parent’s first)
• finalize() called just before garbage collector takes the object (so timing is
unpredictable)
SE209 JVM - 11
James Power
JVM Architecture
The internal runtime structure of the JVM consists of:
• One: (i.e. shared by all threads)

– method area
– heap
• For each thread, a:

– program counter (pointing into the method area)
– Java stack
– native method stack (system dependent)
SE209 JVM - 12
James Power
The Method Area
• Contains one entry for each class
• Lists all details relating to that class
• Includes the constant pool
• Contains the code for the methods
• May grow/shrink as classes are loaded/unloaded
Shared by all threads.
SE209 JVM - 13
James Power
The Heap
• One entry for each object
• Increases with each instance creation
• Decreases with garbage collection (mechanism not specified)
• Object information: instance field values, pointer to class, locking info, virtual
method table(?)
Shared by all threads.
SE209 JVM - 14
James Power
Java Stack
• JVM pushes and pops frames onto this stack
• Each frame corresponds to the invocation of a method
• Call a method → push its frame onto the stack
• Return from a method → pop its frame
• Frame holds parameter values, local variables, intermediate values etc.
SE209 JVM - 15

The Java Virtual Machine: - JVM Runtime Behaviour - JVM Architecture - .Class File Format - JVM Instruction Set

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Java Virtual Machine: - JVM Runtime Behaviour - JVM Architecture - .Class File Format - JVM Instruction Set

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Java Virtual Machine: - JVM Runtime Behaviour - JVM Architecture - .Class File Format - JVM Instruction Set

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

James Power

The Java Virtual Machine

• JVM runtime behaviour

• .class file format

• JVM instruction set

• The JavaT M Virtual Machine Specification (2nd Ed)

JVM Runtime Behaviour

VM Startup and Exit

• Load, link, initialise class containing main()

• Invoke main() passing it the command-line arguments

• Done by a class loader - bootstrap, or create your own

• Optimise: prefetching, group loading, caching

• Each class-loader maintains its own namespace

• Errors include: ClassFormatError, UnsupportedClassVersionError, ClassCircularityError,

• System classes are automatically loaded by the bootstrap class loader

• To see which: java -verbose:class Test.java

• Arrays are created by the VM, not by a class loader

Class Linking - 1. Verification

• Extensive checks that the .class file is valid

• This is a vital part of the JVM security model

• Needed because of possibility of:

• Checks are independent of compiler and language

Class Linking - 2. Preparation

• Create static fields for a class

• Construct method tables for a class

• ... and anything else that might improve efficiency

Class Linking - 3. Resolution

• Most classes refer to methods/fields from other classes

• Resolution translates these names into explict references

• Also checks for field/method existence and whether access is allowed

• Initialise the superclass first!

• Execute (class) static initialiser code

• Execute explicit initialisers for static variables

• May not need to happen for use of final static variable

Completed before anything else sees this class

• Instances are created using new, or newInstance() from class Class

• Instances of String may be created (implicitly) for String literals

The internal runtime structure of the JVM consists of:

• One: (i.e. shared by all threads)

• For each thread, a:

The Method Area

• Contains one entry for each class

• Lists all details relating to that class

• Includes the constant pool

• Contains the code for the methods

• May grow/shrink as classes are loaded/unloaded

Shared by all threads.

• One entry for each object

• Increases with each instance creation

• Decreases with garbage collection (mechanism not specified)

Shared by all threads.

• JVM pushes and pops frames onto this stack

• Each frame corresponds to the invocation of a method

• Call a method → push its frame onto the stack

• Return from a method → pop its frame

• Frame holds parameter values, local variables, intermediate values etc.

You might also like