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110 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
110 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
TeaVM
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=====
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What is TeaVM?
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--------------
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In short, TeaVM gets a bytecode, running over JVM, and translates it to the JavaScript code,
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which does exactly the same thing as the original bytecode does.
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It is based on its cross-compiler which transforms `class` files to JavaScript.
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But there is something more:
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* a sophisticated per-method dependency manager, which greatly reduces the JavaScript output;
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* an optimizer capable of things like devirtualization, inlining, constant propagation,
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loop invariant motion and many other;
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* implementation of subset of core Java library;
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How to use
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----------
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There is no TeaVM artifacts in the central Maven repository yet.
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So first you need to clone project and install it into the local repository.
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In order to install project, just run `mvn install` when you are in the project's root directory.
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There are several options of using TeaVM. One is the maven build. First, you write your code as if it were an
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ordinary Java project:
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```Java
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package org.teavm.samples;
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public class HelloWorld {
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public static void main(String[] args) {
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System.out.println("Hello, world!");
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}
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}
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```
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Second, you include the following plugin in your `pom.xml` build section:
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```XML
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<plugin>
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<groupId>org.teavm</groupId>
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<artifactId>teavm-maven-plugin</artifactId>
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<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
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<dependencies>
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<dependency>
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<groupId>org.teavm</groupId>
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<artifactId>teavm-classlib</artifactId>
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<version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
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</dependency>
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</dependencies>
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<executions>
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<execution>
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<id>generate-javascript</id>
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<goals>
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<goal>build-javascript</goal>
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</goals>
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<phase>process-classes</phase>
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<configuration>
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<minifying>true</minifying>
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<mainClass>org.teavm.samples.HelloWorld</mainClass>
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<mainPageIncluded>true</mainPageIncluded>
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</configuration>
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</execution>
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</executions>
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</plugin>
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```
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Now you can execute `mvn clean package` and get the generated JavaScript files in `target/javascript` folder.
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Just open `target/javascript/main.html` page in your browser, open developer's console and press *Refresh* and
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see what happen.
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There is [teavm-samples](teavm-samples) module,
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containing a complete buildable and runnable example.
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Advantages over GWT
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-------------------
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You may notice that TeaVM idea is much similar to GWT. So why we need TeaVM instead of GWT?
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Unlinke GWT, TeaVM gets the compiled bytecode, not Java sources.
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Thereby it **does not depend on a specific language syntax**. Even not on a specific language.
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So, when the next Java version gets a new feature, you can use it in your source code
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and TeaVM compiler remains unbroken. Also you may want thigs Scala, Kotlin or Ceilon. TeaVM supports them.
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To represent a source code, GWT uses abstract syntax trees (AST).
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TeaVM uses control flow graph (CFG) of methods. CFG are much easier to optimize,
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so TeaVM **applies aggressive optimizations** to you code to make it running faster.
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TeaVM compiler is faster. And TeaVM does not produce permutations.
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So with TeaVM you have no permutation explosion problem.
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Advantages over JavaScript
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--------------------------
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JavaScript suffers of its dynamic typing. When you write a new code, dynamic typing accelerates
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the development process, allowing you to write less boilerplate code.
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But when you are to maintain a large code base, you may need static typing.
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Also, it is not dynamic typing that really makes code short.
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Good static typed languages can [infer variable types for you](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_inference).
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And they usually have a lot more useful features like [lambda functions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda_function),
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[lexical closures](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closure_%28computer_science%29),
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[implicit type casting](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_conversion#Implicit_type_conversion), etc.
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With JavaScript you sometimes have to include large library for only one feature. Or you include many different
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libraries for different purposes and your project size grows. TeaVM translates only the methods which
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are really needed. So you can depend on as much libraries as you want and get
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With JavaScript you are limited to one language. TeaVM supports many of the JVM languages.
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