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Java Virtual Machine Internals, Part 1: Class Loader

The Java Virtual Machine is the heart of the Java ecosystem. Thanks to the JVM, when it comes to Java programs, we can 'write once, run everywhere.' Like other virtual machines, the JVM is also an abstract computer. The Java Virtual Machine's main job is to load class files and execute the bytecode they contain.

There are multiple components of the Java Virtual Machine like class loader, the garbage collector (automatic memory management), interpreter, JIT compiler, thread management. In this series,  I’ll be discussing how the Java Virtual Machine works. In this first installment, we are going to talk about the class loader. So let's get started!

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Running a Java Class as a Subprocess

Running a Java class (not a jar) as a subprocess is something I needed to do this week. More precisely, I wanted to spawn a new process from within a test, instead of running it inside the test directly (in-process). I don’t think this is anything fancy or a complex thing to do. But, this is not something I have ever needed to do before and didn’t know the exact code to write.

Luckily, a quick Google search and a few Stack Overflow posts later, I found the answer I needed. Although the answer is there, I am rewriting it here for my own benefit and as well as yours.