Javacompatible

Javacompatible is a label used in software development to describe code and applications that conform to the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) specifications and rely solely on the standard Java APIs defined by the specification. Software labeled Javacompatible is intended to run on any Java Virtual Machine that implements the Java SE standard, providing cross-platform portability across operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Definition and criteria: To be considered Javacompatible, the program should compile with a standard Java compiler (javac) and avoid vendor-specific extensions or non-standard libraries. It should adhere to the Java SE APIs for core functionality, including input/output, networking, concurrency, and reflection, and avoid platform-dependent code paths that would break on other JVM implementations. Dependency on explicitly declared, portable libraries or modules is typical for maintaining compatibility.

Testing and practice: Teams that pursue Javacompatibility typically verify compatibility across multiple JVM implementations, such as Oracle/OpenJDK builds, Adoptium Temurin, and other conforming runtimes. They may include automated tests that exercise behavior defined by the Java SE specification and perform environment checks for classpath and module visibility.

Limitations: Javacompatible does not guarantee identical performance, startup times, or low-level behavior across different JVMs. Differences in garbage collectors, JIT compilers, or vendor-supplied extensions can affect runtime characteristics. Additionally, platforms that provide Java toolchains but do not implement the full Java SE runtime, such as some mobile or embedded environments, may not be fully Javacompatible without careful adaptation.

See also: Java Platform, Java SE, Java Virtual Machine, OpenJDK, Temurin, Java compatibility testing.