A framework for optimizing java using attributes

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for supporting the optimization of Java programs using attributes in Java class files. We show how class file attributes may be used to convey both optimization opportunities and profile information to a variety of Java virtual machines including ahead-of-time compilers and just-in-time compilers.We present our work in the context of Soot, a framework that supports the analysis and transformation of Java bytecode (class files) [21,25,26]. We demonstrate the framework with attributes for elimination of array bounds and null pointer checks, and we provide experimental results for the Kaffe just-in-time compiler, and IBM's High Performance Compiler for Java ahead-of-time compiler.