Java Platform Performance

Drawing on the authors' knowledge of the Java programming language and their extensive experience working on performance issues, the book reveals common mistakes and misconceptions concerning the performance characteristics of Java technologies. It offers overall development strategies and concrete, battle-tested techniques to dramatically improve the performance of applications constructed with the Java programming language.

Java™ Platform Performance highlights the importance of integrating performance evaluation into the application development process and discusses measurement techniques. The book then presents practical tactics for enhancing application performance in the areas of I/O, RAM footprint, small object management, algorithms, data structures, Swing, and deployment. Specific topics covered include:

• Incorporating performance evaluation into the development process
• Profiling and benchmarking
• Building scalable, fast Swing GUIs
• Using high-speed I/O
• Computing and controlling the RAM footprint
• Reducing the number of classes
• Eliminating temporary objects
• Selecting high-performance algorithms and data structures
• Using Java native code and applet packaging efficiently
• Garbage collection
• Java HotSpot™ technology

With an understanding of the performance issues and specific techniques for reducing overhead discussed in this book, you will have the information you need to enhance the efficiency, speed, and scalability of your software.

Table of contents

Preface

Introduction

Part I: Strategies

1 - What Is Performance?

1.1 Computational Performance

1.2 RAM Footprint

1.3 Startup Time

1.4 Scalability

1.5 Perceived Performance

2 - The Performance Process

2.1 Developing a Performance Process

2.2 References on Object-Oriented Design

3 - Measurement Is Everything

3.1 Benchmarking

3.2 Profiling

3.3 Dealing with Flat Profiles

Part II: Tactics

4 - I/O Performance

4.1 Basic I/O

4.2 Serialization

5 - RAM Footprint

5.1 Computing RAM Footprint

5.2 What Contributes to Footprint?

5.3 Class Loading

6 - Controlling Class Loading

6.1 Eager Class Loading

6.2 Reducing the Number of Classes

6.3 Running Multiple Programs

7 - Object Mutability: Strings and Other Things

7.1 Lots of Little Objects

7.2 Handling String Objects

7.3 Mutable Objects in AWT and Swing

7.4 Other Mutable Object Tactics

7.5 Mutable Object Case Study

7.6 Small Objects and the Modern JVM

7.7 Array Mutability

8 - Algorithms and Data Structures

8.1 Selecting Algorithms

8.2 Using Recursive Algorithms

8.3 Beyond Simple Algorithms

8.4 Selecting Data Structures

8.5 Collections Example

8.6 References on Algorithms and Data Structures

9 - Using Native Code

9.1 Native Graphics Example

9.2 Examining JNI Costs

9.3 Native Code Case Studies

10 - Swing Models and Renderers

10.1 Swing's Component Architecture

10.2 Scalable Components

11 - Writing Responsive User Interfaces with Swing

11.1 Guidelines for Responsive GUIs

11.2 Using Threads in Swing Programs

11.3 Using Timers in Swing Applications

11.4 Responsive Applications Use Threads

11.5 Example: Searching the Web

12 - Deployment

12.1 Compiler Options

12.2 JAR Files

12.3 Packaging Utilities

12.4 Dynamic Downloading

Appendices

A - The Truth About Garbage Collection

A.1 Why Should You Care About Garbage Collection?

A.2 The Guarantees of GC

A.3 The Object Lifecycle

A.4 Reference Objects

A.5 References on Garbage Collection

B - The Java HotSpot Virtual Machine

B.1 HotSpot Architecture

B.2 Runtime Features

B.3 HotSpot Server Compiler

B.4 -X Flags

B.5 -XX Flags

References

Index