Components in JVM Architecture

 NOTE: 

=>         Runtime data areas shared among all threads   

=>   Thread specific Runtime data areas

 

Classloader:

Classloader is a subsystem of JVM that is used to load class files.

Class(Method) Area:

Class(Method) Area stores per-class structures such as the runtime constant pool, field and method data, the code for methods.

Heap:

It is the runtime data area in which objects are allocated.

Java Stack:

Java Stack stores frames. It holds local variables and partial results, and plays a part in method invocation and return.

Each thread has a private JVM stack, created at the same time as thread.

A new frame is created each time a method is invoked. A frame is destroyed when its method invocation completes.

Program Counter Register:

PC (program counter) registers. It contains the address of the Java virtual machine instruction currently being executed.

Native Method Stack:

It contains all the native methods used in the application.

Execution Engine:

It contains:

1) A virtual processor

2) Interpreter

Read bytecode stream then execute the instructions.

3) Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler

It is used to improve the performance. JIT compiles parts of the byte code that have similar functionality at the same time, and hence reduces the amount of time needed for compilation. Here the term compiler refers to a translator from the instruction set of a Java virtual machine (JVM) to the instruction set of a specific CPU.