What is a Java virtual machine?

What is a Java virtual machine?

Simply speaking, a JVM is the software module that executes Java application bytecode and translates the bytecode into hardware- and operating system-specific instructions. By doing so, the JVM enables Java programs to be executed in different environments from where they were first written, without requiring any changes to the original application code. Java's portability is key to its popularity as an enterprise application language: developers don't have to rewrite application code for every platform because the JVM handles the translation and platform-optimization.

    A JVM basically is a virtual execution environment acting as a machine for bytecode instructions, while assigning execution tasks and performing memory operations through interaction with underlying layers.

    A JVM also takes care of dynamic resource management for running Java applications. This means it handles allocating and de-allocating memory(内存管理), maintaining a consistent thread model on each platform(一致性的线程模型), and organizing the executable instructions in a way that is suited for the CPU architecture(适配不同CPU架构的可运行指令) where the application is executed. The JVM frees the programmer from keeping track of references between objects and knowing how long they should be kept in the system. It also frees us from having to decide exactly when to issue explicit instructions to free up memory -- an acknowledged pain point of non-dynamic programming languages like C.

You could think about the JVM as a specialized operating system for Java; its job is to manage the runtime environment for Java applications. A JVM basically is a virtual execution environment acting as a machine for bytecode instructions, while assigning execution tasks and performing memory operations through interaction with underlying layers.

 

转自: http://www.javaworld.com/article/2078623/core-java/jvm-performance-optimization--part-1--a-jvm-technology-primer.html