[Proposal] jlink plugin which replaces dynamic shared libraries

[Alan Bateman]

On 04/12/2018 12:47, Severin Gehwolf wrote:
> :
>
>
> Proposed Solution:
> -----------------------------------------------
> The solution we came up with is a new jlink plugin which - at runtime -
> replaces matching DSOs from jmod files with versions from the JDK image
> (or a JDK image of the same version pointed to by a property). As a
> result, properly stripped DSOs are being used for the custom JDK image
> and the size issue goes away. We are aware that this is a rather
> distribution specific use-case, but it might be useful for other
> downstream consumers (Debian?) too. That's why I'm proposing this here.
> Would there be interest in having this jlink plugin upstream? If so,
> I'd create a bug and will propose a formal RFR.
>
> webrev: http://cr.openjdk.java.net/~sgehwolf/webrevs/jlink-native-replace-plugin/webrev/
>
> Thoughts?
>
If I read this correctly then it makes assumption that jlink is run on a 
JDK build that matches exactly the build of the packaged modules on the 
module path specified to the tool - is that right? If so then it will 
work for the scenario you described but it won't work in general as the 
builds may not match.  Also it could never work when cross targeting, 
e.g. using jlink on linux-x64 to create a run-time image for an embedded 
linux-arm.

You mail makes me wonder if it would be feasible to have a plugin that 
does the stripping, maybe you've looked into that already?

-Alan