The Java(tm) Virtual Machine Specification

Table of Contents

Copyright Information

Preface

1 - Java Virtual Machine Architecture

1.1 - Supported Data Types

1.2 - Registers

1.3 - Local Variables

1.4 - The Operand Stack

1.5 - Execution Environment

1.6 - Garbage Collected Heap

1.7 - Method Area

1.8 - The Java Instruction Set

1.9 - Limitations

2 - Class File Format

2.1 - Format

2.2 - Signatures

2.3 - Constant Pool

2.4 - Fields

2.5 - Methods

2.6 - Attributes

3 - The Virtual Machine Instruction Set

3.1 - Format for the Instructions

3.2 - Pushing Constants onto the Stack

3.3 - Loading Local Variables Onto the Stack

3.4 - Storing Stack Values into Local Variables

3.5 - Wider index for Loading, Storing and Incrementing

3.6 - Managing Arrays

3.7 - Stack Instructions

3.8 - Arithmetic Instructions

3.9 - Logical Instructions

3.10 - Conversion Operations

3.11 - Control Transfer Instructions

3.12 - Function Return

3.13 - Table Jumping

3.14 - Manipulating Object Fields

3.15 - Method Invocation

3.16 - Exception Handling

3.17 - Miscellaneous Object Operations

3.18 - Monitors

Appendix A: - An Optimization

A.1 - Constant Pool Resolution

A.2 - Pushing Constants onto the Stack (_quick variants)

A.3 - Managing Arrays (_quick variants)

A.4 - Manipulating Object Fields (_quick variants)

A.5 - Method Invocation (_quick variants)

A.6 - Miscellaneous Object Operations (_quick variants)