No Silver Bullet - Garbage Collection for Java in Embedded Systems

Conclusion

As it is the case for other programming languages and execution environment, designing and implementing a garbage collector suitable to the use of the Java language in embedded systems is not an easy task. It requires a deep analysis of numerous factors ranging from the hardware in use to the dynamic of the application to run on the embedded system. A Java runtime capable of instrumenting the memory allocation patterns coupled with the possibility of a pluggable garbage collector seem to be attractive enough, so that several player in the field are seriously considering it as a solution. With more time spent studying the memory allocations behavior of embedded applications written in Java, we might in the future see the emergence of a collection of ready-to-use garbage collector algorithm that embedded system developers will be able to directly incorporate into their design.

Alexandre Petit-Bianco works for Cygnus Solutions on a gcc-based Java compiler intended for use in developing embedded systems. He can be reached at apbianco@cygnus.com

Java and the Java language are trademarks of Sun Microsystems. 

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