bytedance

CompoundVM

BackendJavaJVMOpenJDKPerformanceGarbage Collection

103

+340

// summary

CompoundVM is a project designed to bring the performance and features of newer JVM versions to legacy Java 8 applications. It allows developers to utilize advanced garbage collection and JIT compiler enhancements without the need for costly project migrations. The solution currently supports Linux platforms on x86_64 and aarch64 architectures as a drop-in replacement for existing JDKs.

// technical analysis

CompoundVM (CVM) is a specialized JVM project designed to bridge the gap between legacy Java 8 applications and modern JVM performance capabilities. By enabling advanced JVM features from versions 17 and 25 within a JDK 8 environment, it allows developers to achieve significant performance gains without the costly and time-consuming process of migrating entire codebases. This drop-in solution prioritizes production stability and ease of adoption, offering a strategic trade-off that favors performance optimization over full-stack version upgrades.

// key highlights

Enables modern JVM 17 and 25 features within a legacy JDK 8 environment to boost performance.

Provides enhanced garbage collection options including ParallelGC, G1GC, and ZGC for improved throughput and lower latency.

Includes an upgraded JIT compiler that supports more intrinsics with faster, more efficient implementations.

Functions as a drop-in replacement for existing JDK installations, ensuring a seamless upgrade and rollback process.

Delivers significant performance improvements across various benchmarks, including up to 90% in SPECjbb2015 critical-jOPS on x86_64.

Supports both x86_64 and aarch64 architectures on Linux platforms for broad production compatibility.

// use cases

Enabling JVM 17 and 25 features on JDK 8

Improving application throughput and latency with advanced GC and JIT

Providing a drop-in replacement for legacy JDKs with easy rollback

// getting started

To begin using CompoundVM, download a pre-built package from the project's release page or build it from source using the provided makefile command 'make -f cvm.mk cvm8default17'. Once installed, replace your existing JDK path with the CVM directory and verify the installation by running the 'java -version' command, which should confirm the integration of the newer JVM version.