A Low-Footprint Class Loading Mechanism for Embedded Java Virtual Machines

TL;DR

This paper introduces a memory-efficient class loading technique for embedded Java VMs by removing unnecessary constant pool entries, demonstrating significant memory savings without losing core functionalities.

Contribution

It presents a novel class packing method that reduces memory footprint in embedded Java VMs, along with benchmarks and potential further optimizations.

Findings

Memory consumption is dramatically reduced.

The mechanism maintains full VM functionalities.

Additional optimizations are possible with limited restrictions.

Abstract

This paper shows that it is possible to dramatically reduce the memory consumption of classes loaded in an embedded Java virtual machine without reducing its functionalities. We describe how to pack the constant pool by deleting entries which are only used during the class loading process. We present some benchmarks which demonstrate the efficiency of this mechanism. We finally suggest some additional optimizations which can be applied if some restrictions to the functionalities of the virtual machine can be tolerated.