Java and the Java Virtual Machine: Definition, Verification, Validation [Hardcover]

Robert F. Stärk (Author), Joachim Schmid (Author), Egon Börger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 3540420886 | ISBN-13: 978-3540420880 | Publication Date: June 27, 2001 | Edition: 1

This book provides a high-level description, together with a mathematical and an experimental analysis, of Java and of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), including a standard compiler of Java programs to JVM code and the security critical bytecode verifier component of the JVM. The description is structured into language layers and machine components. It comes with a natural executable refinement which can be used for testing code. The method developed for this purpose is based on Abstract State Machines (ASMs) and can be applied to other virtual machines and to other programming languages as well. The book is written for advanced students and for professionals and practitioners in research and development who need a complete and transparent definition and an executable model of the language and of the virtual machine underlying its intended implementation. "The Jbook gives the most comprehensive and consistent formal account of the combination of Java and the JVM." (Pieter Hartel and Luc Moreau in Formalizing the Safety of Java, the Java Virtual Machine and Java Card, ACM Computing Surveys, 33(4):517-558, 2001. Section 6.2, page 540.)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: "A professional Java programmer must know what his program exactly will do, if it is run on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). To help these professionals, the book presents a mathematical framework using the notation of Abstract State Machines (ASMs). … it is addressed to professional software engineers and to advanced students who require a complete and exact definition of Java and of the behaviour of the JVM. With AsmGofer an interesting experimental system for program verification is available." (W. Brecht, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 978, 2002)

From the Back Cover

This book provides a high-level description, together with a mathematical and an experimental analysis, of Java and of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), including a standard compiler of Java programs to JVM code and the security critical bytecode verifier component of the JVM. The description is structured into language layers and machine components. It comes with a natural executable refinement (written in AsmGofer and provided on CD ROM) which can be used for testing code. The method developed for this purpose is based on Abstract State Machines (ASMs) and can be applied to other virtual machines and to other programming languages as well. The book is written for advanced students and for professionals and practitioners in research and development who need for their work a complete and transparent definition and an executable model of the language and of the virtual machine underlying its intended implementation. The attached CD ROM contains the entire text of the book and numerous examples and exercises. System Requirements: Windows 95,98, 2000, NT, ME or Linux on 200MHz Intel (or Intel-compatible) CPU, or Solaris on Sun-Sparc 20, Sun Ultra. Installed Internet browser to navigate CD-ROM. 64MB of RAM. 20MB free Hard Disk space (for local installation).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 404 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (June 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540420886
• ISBN-13: 978-3540420880
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,483,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > Compiler Design

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars rigorous, interesting examples, great software!, May 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Java and the Java Virtual Machine: Definition, Verification, Validation (Hardcover)

this book is one of a kind, among all the java books on the market. it breaks the java language into 5 (progressive) layers, and gives the abstract syntax, static semantic (type constraints), dynamic semantic (interpretation), and complitation rules of each layer. This approach is effective, mathematically rigorous, and believe or not, fun to read!

as most of the PL books with formal flavor, the notations take some time to get use to. but the rewarding is worth the effort: you get a very clear picture of language itself. the examples are quite interesting, and the software on the CD does a superb job animating the intrepretation of java programs.

all in all, a very good (academic) book, perfect for computer scientists or CS major graduate student interested in PL, but probably not for everyday programmers.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These are REAL scientists, not IT guys..., December 21, 2006

By 

R. Lane - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Java and the Java Virtual Machine: Definition, Verification, Validation (Hardcover)

This is by far the most sophisticated software book since the Cold War. Without the Soviets to keep western engineers and scientists on their toes, IT is a alot of marketing buzzwords.

These are real scientists...a breath a fresh air.

3 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Plainly Boring, January 23, 2006

By 

Not The Author - See all my reviews

This review is from: Java and the Java Virtual Machine: Definition, Verification, Validation (Hardcover)

It just shows an implementation for an old Java specification (I think JDK1 or JDK1.1) in a weird language called ASM. This ASM is simply a glorified programming language, even not one of the most advanced: haskell, for instance, is much more clearer. You /could/ think about it as a model for java but then it would be useless because of its intricacies and its gigantic size.