Java programs as native executables: GraalVM is the answer! By Rosanna Denis

TL;DR:

•    Using GraalVM Java applications can be compiled into native standalone executables (will be demonstrated).
•    Native executables of small Java programs startup blazingly fast, use considerably less resources compared to running on JVM and do not even require the JRE or any other kind of runtime apart from the OS.
•    Running Java applications as native standalone executables provides opportunities for lean usage of Java in serverless functions, cloud deployment and microservices.

GraalVM, Please Explain

GraalVM started over decade ago as a Sun Microsystems research project. It was subsequently adopted by Oracle Labs and has now reached a stage where it can go out into the wild. GraalVM is a polyglot VM, meaning it can run programs in many different languages at faster paces, usually, than the original specialized runtimes. It allows for interoperability between diverse components in distinct languages as well. For more information see their website.

GraalVM is stated to be(come) the one VM to rule them all. Sounds promising, right? Well, it is! And it’s in active development, so if it’s not perfect yet, you can wait for it to shortly provide what you need!

Java Moving in a Forward Direction

Java is a considered a heavy language – meaning that it is resource intensive. Applications are large – on disk and in memory – and startup time is drawn-out. Already improvements have been made in the newer versions of Java, such as the modular Java runtime (Java 9) and the currently experimental ahead-of-time compiler (jaotc, using Graal) tool in Java 9 (based on JEP 295). Now with GraalVM it’s possible to convert a Java application into a standalone native executable that does not need a Java runtime at all. Read the complete article here.

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