Excelsior JET for Mixed-Language Applications

In some cases, there are good reasons to implement components of the same application in different languages. The key benefit of this approach is the possibility of reusing legacy code and/or components available only for a particular language. Excelsior JET allows you to integrate seamlessly Java code with any other components that are not aware of Java. Examples are COM objects, applications and libraries written in C/C++, FORTRAN, VB, Object Pascal (Delphi), etc.

Using Excelsior JET, you can convert Java class files into conventional native executables and dynamic libraries (.dll/.so) for Windows and Linux/x86 platforms. At the same time, JET fully supports the Java platform interoperability interfaces, namely Java Native Interface and Invocation API. This means that you can use any third-party integration solutions, such as Java-to-COM bridges, or the standard JNI API. For example, you can transform a Java API into a dynamic library and use the API from the main application written in C/C++.

The Excelsior JET Advantage

The creation of conventional executables provides the uniform deployment of applications that include Java components. You ship "all native" binaries to your end users -- no need to deploy .class/.jar files and shell scripts that run the java launcher.

In addition, Excelsior JET doesn't let the Java components become performance bottlenecks of the entire application. Its static compiler aggressively optimizes your Java class files and translates them to Intel x86 native code, thus raising the Java performance level up to that of C/C++. Furthermore, the JET runtime system includes the fastest JNI implementation that minimizes the penalties of crossing the boundaries between Java and non-Java code.

Yet another advantage of using JET is ultimate code obfuscation incident to highly optimizing compilation. Excelsior JET firmly protects the Java components of your application from being reverse engineered.

Getting Started

Download and install a fully functional evaluation copy of Excelsior JET.
Follow the Getting Started tutorials.
Check out the sample program located in the samples/Invocation directory of your Excelsior JET installation. These samples illustrate how to invoke Java code from C/C++, COM, VB6/VBA and Delphi.

For more sophisticated language mixtures, read:

HOWTO: Create a standalone Java dynamic library and invoke it from C
(Excelsior JET Knowledge Base article 000001)

HOWTO: Create a Java COM server using Excelsior JET and Intrinsyc J-Integra
(Excelsior JET Knowledge Base article 000021)

If you need to integrate components written in different languages but do not want to waste time searching for an expert on JNI/C++/COM internals or to learn yourself, you can order Java Interoperability Services from us. Our engineers will use their technical expertise to help you integrate Java, C, C++, COM, VB and Delphi.

Resources

If you are working on a mixed-language project involving Java, you may find the following links useful:

Java Native Interface Documentation
JNI specification, tutorial, tips at the Java home site.

J-Integra for COM
Java-to-COM bridge by Intrinsyc Software International, Inc.

xFunction
Excelsior's API that eases calling external functions from Java