Introduction to

Java Bytecode
Amin Borjian
Fall 2019
Outline
- Operand Stack
- Java Bytecode
- ASM
- Abstract Syntax Tree
Operand Stack
Example intermediate code

d = a + b + c add a, b, t1
g = d * f add t1, c, d
mult d, f, g
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c
g = d * f
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push a
g = d * f

a
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push a
g = d * f push b

b
a
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push a
g = d * f push b
add

a+b
b
a
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push a
g = d * f push b
add
push c

c
a+b
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push a
g = d * f push b
add
push c
add a+b+c
c
a+b
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push d
g = d * f push a
push b
add a+b+c
push c c
a+b
add
d
Operand Stack Mode
d = a + b + c push d
g = d * f push a
push b
add
push c
a+b+c
add
d
assign
Example intermediate code: d = a + b + c
Assembly Java Bytecode
add a, b, t1 push d
add t1, c, d push a
push b
add
push c
add
assign
 Operand Stack
Be More Precise
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; push b
d = a + b + c;
add
a+b+c
push c
c
add a+b
assign b
a
d
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; i2l
d = a + b + c; a+b+c
push b
c
add
a+b
push c b
add a (long)
assign a (int)
d
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; i2l
d = a + b + c; a+b+c
push b
c
ladd
a+b
push c b
add a (long)
assign a (int)
d
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; i2l a+b+c
d = a + b + c; c
push b
a+b
ladd
a+b
l2f b
push c a (long)
add a (int)
d
assign
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; i2l a+b+c
d = a + b + c; c
push b
a+b
ladd
a+b
l2f b
push c a (long)
fadd a (int)
d
assign
int a; push d
long b; push a
float c, d; i2l a+b+c
d = a + b + c; c
push b
a+b
ladd
store a+b
l2f b
load
push c a (long)
fadd a (int)
d
assign
Operand Stack
Array
int a[5];
int b[10];
b[3] = a[2];
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10];
b[3] = a[2];

b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2];

3
b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2]; aload a

a (address)

3
b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2]; aload a
iconst_2

2
a (address)

3
b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2]; aload a
iconst_2
iaload a[2]
2
a (address)

3
b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2]; aload a
iconst_2
iaload a[2]
iastore 2
a (address)

3
b (address)
int a[5]; aload b
int b[10]; iconst_3
b[3] = a[2]; aload a
iconst_2
iaload a[2]
address iastore 2
a (address)

3
b (address)
Java Bytecode
Java Virtual Machine
(JVM)
JVM From Top To Bottom

Threads
 JVM From Top To Bottom
…

Frame handled Frame 4

by JVM Methods
Frame 3
(Specific opcode Frames
Frame 2
for call or return
from function) Frame 1

Thread
JVM From Top To Bottom
0 1 2 3 …

Array of local variables

Operand
Stack
Constant Pool

Frame
JVM From Top To Bottom
Array of local variables (Constructor or instance method)
0 1 2 3 …

…
first parameter
reference of object
JVM From Top To Bottom
Array of local variables (static method)
0 1 2 3 …

…
second parameter
first parameter
Frame size is unlimited???
Frame size is unlimited???
No!
Calculated in Compile Time
Java Bytecode
Example 1
public class Student {
private String name;

public String getName()

{
return name;
}
}
public java.lang.String getName();
Code:
0: aload_0
1: getfield #2
4: areturn
- First local variable is reference
- What is number #2?
- Line numbers?
public java.lang.String getName();
Code:
0: aload_0
1: getfield #2
4: areturn
0 1 2 3 4
aload_0 getfield 00 02 areturn
Bytecode array of method
public java.lang.String getName();
Code:
0: aload_0
1: getfield #2
4: areturn
0 1 2 3 4
aload_0 getfield 00 02 areturn

byte for 0!? Bytecode array of method

Java Bytecode
Descriptors
Descriptors
- Internal (like java/lang/String)
- Type
- Method
 Type Descriptor
boolean Z
char C
byte B
short S
int I
float F
long J
double D
Object Ljava/lang/Object;
int[] [I
 Method Descriptor
void m(int i, float f) (IF)V
int m(Object o) (Ljava/lang/Object;)I
int[] m(int i, String s) (ILjava/lang/String;)[I

Object m(int[] i) ([I)Ljava/lang/Object;

Java Bytecode
Example 2
public class Course {
private String name;
private int grade;
public Course(String name, int grade) {
this.name = name;
this.grade = grade;
storeInDB(name, grade);
}
private void storeInDB(String name,int grade) {
}
}
public class Course {
private String name;
private int grade;
public Course( ,
String name, int grade) {

this.name = name;
this.grade = grade;
storeInDB( , name, grade);

}
}
Java Code:
public Course(String name, int grade) {
...
}

Java Bytecode:
public Course(java.lang.String, int);
Code:
...
Java Code:
super(this);

Java Bytecode:
0: aload_0
1: invokespecial #1

Constant Pool:
#1 java/lang/Object."<init>":()V
Java Code:
this.name = name;

Java Bytecode:
4: aload_0
5: aload_1
6: putfield #2

Constant Pool:
#2 Field name:Ljava/lang/String;
Java Code:
this.grade = grade;

Java Bytecode:
4: aload_0
5: aload_2
6: putfield #3

Constant Pool:
#3 Field grade:I
Java Code:
storeInDB(this, name, grade);

Java Bytecode:
14: aload_0
15: aload_1
16: iload_2
17: invokespecial #4
Constant Pool:
#4 storeInDB:(Ljava/lang/String;I)V
Java Code:
return;

Java Bytecode:
20: return
Java Bytecode
Notes
- Do not talk about frames
- See full list of opcodes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_bytecode_instruction_listings
Get Java Bytecode
javac Student.java
javap –c Student.class
javap –c –v Student.class
ASM
ASM
- Java bytecode manipulation
- Modify existing classes or to dynamically
generate classes
- A Java library (Use maven dependency
management or put in classpath)

Download: https://asm.ow2.io/
Features of ASM
- Handles labels for you!!
- Create bytecode instruction easily
- Handle Constant Poll for you
Java Code:
public class Course extends java.lang.Object {
}

ASM Code:
ClassWriter classWriter =
new ClassWriter(ClassWriter.COMPUTE_FRAMES);
classWriter.visit(Opcodes.V1_8,
Opcodes.ACC_PUBLIC | Opcodes.ACC_SUPER,
"Course", null, "java/lang/Object", null);
...
classWriter.visitEnd();
Java Code:
private String name;
private int grade;
ASM Code:
classWriter.visitField(ACC_PRIVATE, "name",
"Ljava/lang/String;", null, null).visitEnd();
classWriter.visitField(ACC_PRIVATE, "grade",
"I", null, null).visitEnd();

Default value
Generic Signature
Java Bytecode:
public Course(java.lang.String, int);
Code:
...
ASM Code:
MethodVisitor methodVisitor = classWriter.visitMethod
(ACC_PUBLIC, "<init>", "(Ljava/lang/String;I)V",
null, null);
methodVisitor.visitCode();
...
methodVisitor.visitMaxs(0, 0); // MaxStack, MaxLocals
methodVisitor.visitEnd();
Java Bytecode:
0: aload_0
1: invokespecial #1
Constant Pool:
#1 java/lang/Object."<init>":()V
ASM Code:
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 0);
methodVisitor.visitMethodInsn(INVOKESPECIAL,
"java/lang/Object", "<init>", "()V", false);
Java Bytecode:
4: aload_0
5: aload_1
6: putfield #2
Constant Pool:
#2 Field name:Ljava/lang/String;

ASM Code:
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 0);
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 1);
methodVisitor.visitFieldInsn(PUTFIELD, "Course",
"name", "Ljava/lang/String;");
Java Bytecode:
4: aload_0
5: aload_2
6: putfield #3
Constant Pool:
#3 Field grade:I

ASM Code:
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 0);
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ILOAD, 2);
methodVisitor.visitFieldInsn(PUTFIELD, "Course",
"grade", "I");
Java Bytecode:
14: aload_0
15: aload_1
16: iload_2
17: invokespecial #4 //storeInDB:(Ljava/lang/String;I)V

ASM Code:
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 0);
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ALOAD, 1);
methodVisitor.visitVarInsn(ILOAD, 2);
methodVisitor.visitMethodInsn(INVOKESPECIAL, "Course",
"storeInDB", "(Ljava/lang/String;I)V", false);
Java Bytecode:
20: return

ASM Code:
methodVisitor.visitInsn(RETURN);
See ASM code of .class file
java -classpath
".;asm-7.2.jar;asm-util-7.2.jar"
org.objectweb.asm.util.ASMifier
YourClass.class
Abstract Syntax Tree
(AST)
AST
E *

E +

E
E E

1 * ( 2 + 5 ) 1 2 5
AST hierarchy example

expr

int_const plus multiply

AST hierarchy example
* multiply
e1 e2

plus
+
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5 1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
multiply: e1 e2
e1.generate()
plus
e2.generate() e1 e2
mult e1,e2
int_const int_const int_const
1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
int_const: e1 e2
ldc constant
plus
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
ldc 1 e1 e2

plus
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
ldc 1
e1 e2
Ldc 2
plus
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
ldc 1
e1 e2
ldc 2
ldc 5
plus
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
ldc 1
e1 e2
ldc 2
ldc 5
plus
iadd
e1 e2

int_const int_const int_const

1 2 5
AST hierarchy example
multiply
ldc 1
e1 e2
ldc 2
ldc 5
plus
iadd
e1 e2
imul
int_const int_const int_const
1 2 5
AST Hierarchy Example
AST hierarchy example
for (E-init,
E-cond,
E-step)
begin
STL-body
end E-init
...
Semantic Stack
AST hierarchy example
for (E-init,
E-cond,
E-step)
begin
E-cond
STL-body ...
end E-init
...
Semantic Stack
AST hierarchy example
for (E-init,
E-cond,
E-step) E-step
...
begin
E-cond
STL-body ...
end E-init
...
Semantic Stack
AST hierarchy example
for (E-init, STL-body
E-cond, ...
E-step) E-step
...
begin
E-cond
STL-body ...
end E-init
...
Semantic Stack
AST hierarchy example for-loop
...
for (E-init, STL-body
E-cond, ...
E-step) E-step
...
begin
E-cond
STL-body ...
end Semantic Token E-init
...
For this
Semantic Stack
Final AST result

for-loop
...

E-init E-cond E-step STL-body

... ... ... ...
The End