RFR: 8352044: Add --with-import-jvms to configure

[Alan Bateman]

On Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:49:44 GMT, Magnus Ihse Bursie <ihse at openjdk.org> wrote:

> We should allow pre-built JVMs to be included in a build, so they are just copied into place, and the jvm.cfg file properly updated.

The discussion on jdk-dev was useful but I don't think adding --with-import-jvms is the right direction. It's too fragile and loose to import from a build created somewhere else.

I can relate to Aleksey's case where it might be useful to have release + debug builds in the same run-time image. Having java launcher support selecting the fastdebug libjvm, and using jlink to include/exclude the debug VM, can become part of a good story.

I'm less sure that builds that want to produce server + minimal or server + zero or other combinations like this are important or compelling in 2025. In the case of minimal then it may be more useful for the build to just produce the packaged modules (JMOD) rather than an image.  When targeting small/embedded environments then this is what you need as a JDK build with all modules + minimal VM doesn't really make too much sense.

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PR Comment: https://git.openjdk.org/jdk/pull/24063#issuecomment-2728700020