本文是《The Java Virtual Machine Specification (Java SE 7 Edition)》运行时区的翻译,原文参见:http://download.oracle.com/javase/7/specs/jvms/JVMS-JavaSE7.pdf
JVM定义了若干个程序执行期间使用的数据区域。这个区域里的一些数据在JVM启动的时候创建,在JVM退出的时候销毁。其他的数据依赖于每一个线程,在线程创建的时候创建,在线程退出的时候销毁。
2.5.1 程序计数器(The pc Register)
JVM一次能支持很多线程执行。每一个JVM线程有它自己的程序计数器。在任何时候,一个JVM的线程都正在执行当前线程的方法代码。如果这个方法不是本地方法,程序计数器包含当前被执行的JVM地址。如果线程正在执行本地方法,程序计数器的值为未定义。JVM 程序计数器足以存储一个返回地址或一个本地指针。
2.5.2 栈(Java Virtual Machine Stacks)
每个JVM的线程在创建的时候,都会创建一个栈。一个栈包含很多栈桢。JVM的栈好比传统语言C的栈,它维持(存储)本地变量和部分结果,并在方法调用和返回中(被)使用。由于JVM栈除了压入和弹出栈帧之外不能被直接操作,栈帧可以在堆上分配空间。 JVM说明书(规范)允许栈要么是一个固定大小,要么动态扩展来满足计算的要求。如果JVM栈是一个固定的大小,当栈被创建的时候每一个栈大小可以自由设置。 在动态扩展情况下,可以控制最大最小内存。 在VM Spec中对这个区域规定了2种异常状况(以下两种异常与JVM的栈机制有关):
l 如果线程请求的栈深度大于虚拟机所允许的深度,将抛出StackOverflowError异常。
l 如果VM栈可以动态扩展,在初始化新线程时没有足够内存创建栈则抛出OutOfMemoryError异常。
2.5.3 堆(Heap)
JVM有一个在所有线程内共享的堆。堆是给所有类的实例和数组分配内存的运行时数据区。 堆在虚拟机启动的时候创建,堆中储存的对象通过一个自动存储管理系统(垃圾回收器)进行回收。 对象从不明确的被分配(JVM从不指明对象的释放)。JVM加上没有(JVM不指定特定的自动存储管理系统)自动存储管理系统的特别的类型,(开发者可根据系统要求自主选择)并且这个存储管理技术可能被选择按照实现的系统需求。
堆要么是固定大小,要么按计算需要扩展。如果一个大的堆变得多余或许会收缩。堆的内存不需要相邻。使用者可以设置堆内存的大小,如果堆能够动态的扩展。控制最大最小堆内存。
堆会出现以下异常:
l 如果内存溢出(若计算所需堆内存不足),则抛出OutOfMemoryError
2.5.4 方法区(Method Area)
JVM的方法区是所有线程共享的,方法区类似于传统语言编译代码时的存储区域或类似于操作系统进程的文本段。他存储内容包括:每一个类的结构,如运行时常量池,字段和方法的数据;方法和构造器的代码,如用于类,实例和接口初始化的特殊方法。这个方法区在JVM启动的时候被创建,一般情况下JVM不会选择对方法区进行垃圾回收或者压缩,这个版本的JVM规范没有强制规定方法区的位置和管理编译后代码的策略。方法区可固定大小,或按需伸缩。方法区的内存不需要相邻。
2.5.4 运行时常量池(Runtime Constant Pool)
运行时常量池是类和接口运行时的常量池表,它在字节码文件里。它包含几类常量。 在编译时期识别的数值常量,在运行区识别的方法或引用字段。运行区常量池类似于传统语言的字符表,但它比传统字符表所存储的范围更广。每一个运行区常量池从方法区分配内存。当类和接口被JVM创建时相应的常量池也被创建。
运行区常量池包括以下异常:
l 当类和接口创建时,如果运行区常量池所需内存不足,则抛出OutOfMemoryError。
2.5.5 本地方法栈(Native Method Stacks)
JVM一般用传统栈实现,俗称“C栈”用来支持本地方法(这些方法不是用java编程语言写的方法)。本地方法栈还可以被用于翻译C语言所编写的JVM指令集。那些不加载本地方法,不依赖于传统栈所实现的JVM不需要提供本地方法栈。如果提供本地方法栈,每个线程创建时必须分配一个本地方法栈。JVM规范规定本地方法栈可固定长度或按需伸缩。 如果JVM栈是一个固定的大小,当栈被创建的时候每一个栈大小可以自由设置。 在动态扩展情况下,可以控制最大最小内存。
JVM的方法栈有以下两种异常:
l 如果线程请求的栈深度大于虚拟机所允许的深度,将抛出StackOverflowError异常。
l 如果VM栈可以动态扩展,当扩展时无法申请到足够内存(或者在初始化新线程时没有足够内存创建栈)则抛出OutOfMemoryError异常。
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2.5.1 The pc Register
The Java virtual machine can support many threads of execution at once .
Each Java virtual machine thread has its own pc (program counter) register. At any
point, each Java virtual machine thread is executing the code of a single method,
namely the current method (§2.6) for that thread. If that method is not native, the
pc register contains the address of the Java virtual machine instruction currently
being executed. If the method currently being executed by the thread is native, the
value of the Java virtual machine’s pc register is undefined. The Java virtual
machine’s pc register is wide enough to hold a returnAddress or a native pointer
on the specific platform.
2.5.2 Java Virtual Machine Stacks
Each Java virtual machine thread has a private Java virtual machine stack, created
at the same time as the thread.3 A Java virtual machine stack stores frames (§2.6). A
Java virtual machine stack is analogous to the stack of a conventional language such
as C: it holds local variables and partial results, and plays a part in method invocation
and return. Because the Java virtual machine stack is never manipulated
directly except to push and pop frames, frames may be heap allocated. The memory
for a Java virtual machine stack does not need to be contiguous.
The Java virtual machine specification permits Java virtual machine stacks
either to be of a fixed size or to dynamically expand and contract as required by
the computation. If the Java virtual machine stacks are of a fixed size, the size of
each Java virtual machine stack may be chosen independently when that stack is
created. A Java virtual machine implementation may provide the programmer or
the user control over the initial size of Java virtual machine stacks, as well as, in
the case of dynamically expanding or contracting Java virtual machine stacks,
control over the maximum and minimum sizes.
The following exceptional conditions are associated with Java virtual
machine stacks:
l If the computation in a thread requires a larger Java virtual machine stack than
is permitted, the Java virtual machine throws a StackOverflowError.
l If Java virtual machine stacks can be dynamically expanded, and expansion is
attempted but insufficient memory can be made available to effect the expansion,
or if insufficient memory can be made available to create the initial Java
virtual machine stack for a new thread, the Java virtual machine throws an
OutOfMemoryError.
2.5.3 Heap
The Java virtual machine has a heap that is shared among all Java virtual machine
threads. The heap is the runtime data area from which memory for all class instances
and arrays is allocated.
The heap is created on virtual machine start-up. Heap storage for objects is
reclaimed by an automatic storage management system (known as a garbage collector);
objects are never explicitly deallocated. The Java virtual machine assumes
no particular type of automatic storage management system, and the storage management
technique may be chosen according to the implementor’s system requirements.
The heap may be of a fixed size or may be expanded as required by the
computation and may be contracted if a larger heap becomes unnecessary. The
memory for the heap does not need to be contiguous.
A Java virtual machine implementation may provide the programmer or the
user control over the initial size of the heap, as well as, if the heap can be dynamically
expanded or contracted, control over the maximum and minimum heap size.
The following exceptional condition is associated with the heap:
• If a computation requires more heap than can be made available by the automatic
storage management system, the Java virtual machine throws an Out-
OfMemoryError.
2.5.4 Method Area
The Java virtual machine has a method area that is shared among all Java virtual
machine threads. The method area is analogous to the storage area for compiled
code of a conventional language or analogous to the “text” segment in an operating
system process. It stores per-class structures such as the runtime constant pool, field
and method data, and the code for methods and constructors, including the special
methods (§2.9) used in class and instance initialization and interface initialization.
The method area is created on virtual machine start-up. Although the method
area is logically part of the heap, simple implementations may choose not to either
garbage collect or compact it. This version of the Java virtual machine specification
does not mandate the location of the method area or the policies used to manage
compiled code. The method area may be of a fixed size or may be expanded
as required by the computation and may be contracted if a larger method area
becomes unnecessary. The memory for the method area does not need to be contiguous.
A Java virtual machine implementation may provide the programmer or the
user control over the initial size of the method area, as well as, in the case of a varying-
size method area, control over the maximum and minimum method area size.
The following exceptional condition is associated with the method area:
• If memory in the method area cannot be made available to satisfy an allocation
request, the Java virtual machine throws an OutOfMemoryError.
2.5.5 Runtime Constant Pool
A runtime constant pool is a per-class or per-interface runtime representation of the
constant_pool table in a class file (§4.4). It contains several kinds of constants,
ranging from numeric literals known at compile time to method and field references
that must be resolved at runtime. The runtime constant pool serves a function similar
to that of a symbol table for a conventional programming language, although it
contains a wider range of data than a typical symbol table.
Each runtime constant pool is allocated from the Java virtual machine’s
method area (§2.5.4). The runtime constant pool for a class or interface is constructed
when the class or interface is created (§5.3) by the Java virtual machine.
The following exceptional condition is associated with the construction of the
runtime constant pool for a class or interface:
• When creating a class or interface, if the construction of the runtime constant
pool requires more memory than can be made available in the method area of
the Java virtual machine, the Java virtual machine throws an OutOfMemory-
Error.
See Chapter 5, “Loading, Linking, and Initializing,” for information about the
construction of the runtime constant pool.
2.5.6 Native Method Stacks
An implementation of the Java virtual machine may use conventional stacks, colloquially
called “C stacks,” to support native methods, methods written in a language
other than the Java programming language. Native method stacks may also be
used by the implementation of an interpreter for the Java virtual machine’s instruction
set in a language such as C. Java virtual machine implementations that cannot
load native methods and that do not themselves rely on conventional stacks need
not supply native method stacks. If supplied, native method stacks are typically allocated
per thread when each thread is created.
The Java virtual machine specification permits native method stacks either to
be of a fixed size or to dynamically expand and contract as required by the computation.
If the native method stacks are of a fixed size, the size of each native
method stack may be chosen independently when that stack is created. In any
case, a Java virtual machine implementation may provide the programmer or the
user control over the initial size of the native method stacks. In the case of
varying-size native method stacks, it may also make available control over the
maximum and minimum method stack sizes.
The following exceptional conditions are associated with native method
stacks:
• If the computation in a thread requires a larger native method stack than is
permitted, the Java virtual machine throws a StackOverflowError.
• If native method stacks can be dynamically expanded and native method stack
expansion is attempted but insufficient memory can be made available, or if
insufficient memory can be made available to create the initial native method
stack for a new thread, the Java virtual machine throws an OutOfMemory-
Error.