Java Nashorn is a JavaScript runtime that was first introduced in 2011 with the release of Java Development Kit (JDK) 8. It was developed as a replacement for the aging Rhino JavaScript engine, which was the default engine in previous versions of Java.
Background
Before the introduction of Nashorn, developers had to rely on external libraries or frameworks to run JavaScript code within Java applications. This added complexity and overhead to the development process. Nashorn aimed to address this issue by providing a built-in JavaScript engine that seamlessly integrated with the Java platform.
Features of Nashorn
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Performance: One of the key features of Nashorn is its improved performance compared to Rhino. It achieves this by utilizing the Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation technology, which translates JavaScript code into native machine code for faster execution.
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Compatibility: Nashorn is designed to be fully ECMAScript 5.1 compliant, ensuring compatibility with existing JavaScript codebases. This allows developers to easily migrate their existing JavaScript applications to the Java platform.
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Integration with Java: Nashorn provides seamless integration with Java code, allowing developers to invoke Java classes and methods directly from within JavaScript. This enables developers to leverage the power of both languages in a single application.
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Command-line tool: Nashorn comes with a command-line tool that allows developers to execute JavaScript code directly from the terminal. This tool provides a convenient way to test and debug JavaScript code without the need for a full-fledged IDE.
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Multi-threading support: Nashorn supports multi-threading, making it suitable for applications that require concurrent execution of JavaScript code. This can be beneficial for scenarios such as server-side JavaScript applications or complex data processing tasks.
Deprecation and Future of Nashorn
Despite its initial popularity, Oracle announced the deprecation of Nashorn in JDK 11, released in September 2018. This decision was made due to the increasing popularity of alternative JavaScript runtimes, such as Node.js, which offer more advanced features and better performance.
While Nashorn is deprecated, it still remains available in JDK 8 and 10. However, developers are encouraged to migrate their code to alternative JavaScript runtimes, such as GraalVM, which provide more modern and efficient JavaScript execution environments.
Conclusion
Java Nashorn played an important role in integrating JavaScript into the Java platform. Its improved performance, compatibility, and integration capabilities made it a valuable tool for developers. However, with the deprecation of Nashorn in JDK 11, developers are now encouraged to explore alternative JavaScript runtime options for their Java applications. By leveraging the advancements in JavaScript runtimes, developers can continue to build robust and efficient applications that combine the power of Java and JavaScript.
Tags: #Java #JavaScript