This article gives an overview of Project Jigsaw and if at all it solves any problem.

1. Project Jigsaw and Java8: Is it really going to solve
anything?
http://idiotechie.com/?p=542 July 12, 2012
Project Jigsaw deals with making of the java
compiler module aware. Since long Java API was
seen too monolithic in nature. This means that you
can see the entire API from any part of the code
equally. Also, you have no option to declare a
code’s dependency on any other user libraries.
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Project Jigsaw helps in sorting out these and other
issues in a clean and neat way. Currently, you can
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see the Project Jigsaw confined to Java 8, which is
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considered to be a big change unlike the generics
seen in Java 5. The below points reflect some
Java 8. h ttp
important benefits of employing Project Jigsaw with
Project Jigsaw
The dependency graph
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Jigsaw renders you a unique method to identify a specific codebase and also helps in declaring
codebase’s dependencies on the other codebases. This helps in creating a complete dependency
graph for some specific set of classes. For instance, if you are interested in writing a program which is
based on Apache BCEL library, using Jigsaw, you can articulate this very requirement in the code
which helps in allowing the tools to resolve the dependency element. Before the advent of Jigsaw, there
was no other option to articulate this requirement in the code.
Modularization of Java Platform Itself
The ongoing Java platform API is simply too big in size with too many irrelevant stuffs to each other in
some case or the other. In the same way, the embedded environments can strip down a couple of
unimportant APIs and thus making things small and fast. In the current Java platform, you do not have
the option of doing these things since any standard java platform is required to see all the APIs
implementations. However, this is not the case with Jigsaw as it helps you to find a way wherein only a
small API part is set relevant to the specific platform. As a module has the option to clearly declare its
dependency on any specific Java API module, it will run only when you see the platform having the
modules implementation as per the module requirements.
Module Entry Point

2. Module Entry Point
The Java modules can now specify any entry point
class unlike how the jars specify the same. When
you run a module, you can see the main method of
entry point being invoked. As you can now see the
operating system installing and executing the Java
module, this has therefore become pretty similar to
an OS’s native program.
Efficiency
Now, every time when you see JVM running, it
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simply verifies the integrity of each and every single
class which is seen loaded during the program run.
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This generally consumes lots of time. Further, the Java 8
classes too are seen accessing OS file system
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individually. As you see modules now being easily
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installed before running, the installation can now incorporate the verification step which will help in
reducing the classes’ verification need during the runtime. This can therefore help in enhancing the
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overall performance. Lastly, the module system can now be seen storing the classes in its own
optimized way which will give more opportunity to improve the performance.
Module Abstraction
Now it has become possible to render an abstraction for a specific module. So, if module A depends
on the module X, now you can see module D rendering for module X, in this way providing its smooth
execution. For instance, if the Apache Xerces modules would like to render for jdk.jaxp module then it
can easily satisfy the jdk.jaxp dependency requirement.
The project Jigsaw is seen modified every passing day and would certainly turn the table of Java 8
platform. However, the experts feel that the basic idea would remain the same. The above are some of
the important benefits of using project Jigsaw with Java 8.
About the author: Alyssa Clarke is a freelance blogger who is passionate about writing. She
frequently writes on SEO, marketing and social media related topics. Her favorite sites are
Gizmowatch and Cellphonebeat, which she also happens to work for. She is a social media addict and
can be actively found on twitter @alyssagclarke.