java virtual machine

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing

<language, architecture> (JVM) A specification for software which interprets Java programs that have been compiled into byte-codes, and usually stored in a ".class" file. The JVM instruction set is stack-oriented, with variable instruction length. Unlike some other instruction sets, the JVM's supports object-oriented programming directly by including instructions for object method invocation (similar to subroutine call in other instruction sets).

The JVM itself is written in C and so can be ported to run on most platforms. It needs thread support and I/O (for dynamic class loading). The Java byte-code is independent of the platform.

There are also some hardware implementations of the JVM.

Specification (http://javasoft.com/docs/books/vmspec/html/VMSpecTOC.doc.html).

Sun's Java chip (http://news.com/News/Item/0,4,9328,00.html). [Documentation? Versions?]

(2000-01-03)