JDK-4285505 : deprecate java.lang.Compiler
  • Type: Enhancement
  • Component: core-libs
  • Sub-Component: java.lang
  • Affected Version: 1,1.1,1.2.0,1.3.0,1.4.0,5.0,6,7,8,9
  • Priority: P3
  • Status: Closed
  • Resolution: Fixed
  • Submitted: 1999-10-27
  • Updated: 2017-05-16
  • Resolved: 2016-09-09
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JDK 9
9 b136Fixed
Related Reports
Duplicate :  
JDK-8017116 - Deprecate java.lang.Compiler
Relates :  
JDK-8041676 - deprecate the java.compiler system property for removal
Relates :  
JDK-8157055 - consider unified release notes for deprecated APIs
Relates :  
JDK-8065614 - JEP 277: Enhanced Deprecation
Relates :  
JDK-8017115 - Remove java.compiler from System.getProperties() documentation
Description
The class java.lang.Compiler supposedly provides a high level reflective
interface to the underlying JIT. This interface is effectively ignored by
Hotspot, and by many other implementations.

We have long ago abandoned efforts for a standaradized JIT interface. JITs and
their technologies vary too widely. At the user level, it is unclear why control
of a quality-of-implementation factor like a JIT needs to be available in a
portable form.

gilad.bracha@eng 1999-10-27
Comments
After further discussions it's been decided that deprecating with forRemoval=true in JDK 9 is OK.
07-09-2016
Reopening this bug. This rationale in the description still applies. For Hotspot, this is superseded by JEP 165 (http://openjdk.java.net/jeps/165). This class should be deprecated, but not for removal. Aside from IBM's usage (see below), web searching reveals mentions of java.lang.Compiler in copies of the Java SE specification, in documents and tutorials that describe the specification, and in clones of the JDK class libraries. Grepcode.com searching reveals various reflective layers that contain lists of all java.lang classes, but no actual usages of java.lang.Compiler. IBM WebSphere Real Time version 3 does mention java.lang.Compiler. Updated link: http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSSTCZ_3.0.0/welcome/welcome_wrt_version.html?cp=SSSTCZ Searching here for "java.lang.Compiler" returns one relevant hit with an update date of 2014-09-09: "Using compiled code with WebSphere Real Time for RT Linux" http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/api/content/SSSTCZ_3.0.0/com.ibm.wrt.rtlinux.doc.30/realtime/compiling.html?locale=en which links to this page: "The Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler" http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/api/content/SSSTCZ_3.0.0/com.ibm.wrt.rtlinux.doc.30/realtime/rt_jit.html
13-05-2016
Per http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/realtime/v1r0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.rt.doc.10%2Frealtime%2Frt_jit.html This interface is supported by the websphere realtime JIT compiler as well as other IBM compilers and cannot be deprecated.
13-08-2013