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I have a very basic question about JVM: is it a compiler or an interpreter?
If it is an interpreter, then what about JIT compiler that exist inside the JVM?
If neither, then what exactly is the JVM? (I dont want the basic definition of jVM of converting byte code to machine specific code etc.)
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No, javac isn't part of the JVM itself.
Java Virtual Machine takes Bytecode as input and converts it into Machine Code one line at a time. This Bytecode can be generated by compiling source code written in any JVM language like Scala, Kotlin, etc not just Java. Hence, Java interpreter is called Java Virtual Machine.
The Java source code first compiled into a binary byte code using Java compiler, then this byte code runs on the JVM (Java Virtual Machine), which is a software based interpreter. So Java is considered as both interpreted and compiled.
Simply put, a JVM interprets bytecode and a Java interpreter interprets Java. They are different because bytecode and Java are different languages. Bytecode is a low-level language, like machine code. The bytecode is meant to be run by a program called a bytecode interpreter, also called a virtual machine.
First, let's have a clear idea of the following terms
Javac is Java Compiler -- Compiles your Java code into Bytecode
JVM is Java Virtual Machine -- Runs/ Interprets/ translates Bytecode into Native Machine Code
JIT is Just In Time Compiler -- Compiles the given bytecode instruction sequence to machine code at runtime before executing it natively. It's main purpose is to do heavy optimizations in performance.
So now, Let's find answers to your questions..
1)JVM: is it a compiler or an interpreter? -- Ans: Interpreter
2)what about JIT compiler that exist inside the JVM? -- Ans: If you read this reply completly, you probably know it now
3)what exactly is the JVM? -- Ans:
.class file into the RAMHope this helped you..
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