AArch64 port first release

[Andrew Haley]

I'm pleased to announce our first release of Java for the ARMv8
64-bit architecture.  This is a whole new port, completely
unrelated to to the 32-bit ARM JDK.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AArch64#ARMv8_and_64-bit


Project status:

This port is still very much a work in progress, but it passes
its tests and it's good enough to run most Java programs.

It is not complete.  We're missing support for optional features
such as biased locking and JVMTI.  Also, it's rather scrappy in
some places and the code could be more efficient and more
idiomatic in many other places.  Patches welcome!

The template interpreter and the C1 compiler are done.  The C2
compiler is still at a rather early stage.

You don't need an ARMv8 to test and run the port.  We've written a
small simulator that links into the JVM, so you can run this port just
like native Java on any 64-bit x86 GNU/Linux system.  We also provide
advanced debugging capabilities via a set of GDB extensions.  This
provides the best interactive debugging environment that I have ever
seen for a Java VM.  You also can run on ARM's Fast Model if you
prefer.

We've provided full build instructions, but we'll help you if you get
stuck.  We want people to try it out.

I feel that I have to end with an apology.  When I started this port I
wanted it to be an exemplary free software project: open discussion,
open development, and the free exchange of ideas.  It hasn't worked
out that way.  We needed very detailed technical information about the
ARMv8 architecture long before it was made public, and ARM were kind
enough to give us what we needed.  However, there was a caveat: we
couldn't make it public.  So, we've been in stealth mode until a few
weeks ago.  My thanks go out to the legal teams who worked hard to
make this release possible.

Also, a big shout to Mark Reinhold for sorting out all the crazy
problems we had with OpenJDK's source code repository.


http://hg.openjdk.java.net/aarch64-port/jdk8/raw-file/tip/README.aarch64

Web: http://openjdk.java.net/projects/aarch64-port/

Mailing list: http://mail.openjdk.java.net/mailman/listinfo/aarch64-port-dev


Andrew.