Java 12, released in March 2019, introduced several performance enhancements that have the potential to improve the overall performance and efficiency of Java applications. In this blog post, we will explore some of these improvements and discuss how they can benefit developers.

1. Shenandoah Garbage Collector

One of the most notable performance enhancements in Java 12 is the addition of the Shenandoah Garbage Collector (GC). Shenandoah GC is a low-pause-time garbage collector that aims to reduce the impact of garbage collection pauses on application responsiveness.

Traditionally, garbage collection pauses in Java have been a source of concern for applications that require low-latency and high-throughput. Shenandoah GC addresses this issue by significantly reducing pause times, making it suitable for large heap sizes and applications that require consistent response time.

To enable Shenandoah GC, you can use the following command-line option:

-XX:+UseShenandoahGC

2. Microbenchmark Suite

Java 12 includes the introduction of the Microbenchmark Suite, which is a set of microbenchmarks designed to measure the performance of specific code snippets or methods. This suite provides developers with a reliable way to benchmark and compare performance changes.

To run the Microbenchmark Suite, you can use the following command:

java -jar -XX:+UnlockDiagnosticVMOptions -XX:+WhiteBoxAPI -XX:-BackgroundCompilation -XX:-UseHugeTLBFS -Xbootclasspath/a:./build/classes/java/main:/path/to/jmh-core/target/ -jar benchmarks.jar

The Microbenchmark Suite can be a valuable tool for identifying performance bottlenecks and fine-tuning your code for optimal performance.

Conclusion

Java 12 introduces a range of performance improvements that can significantly enhance the performance and efficiency of Java applications. The Shenandoah Garbage Collector reduces garbage collection pause times, making it suitable for low-latency applications. The Microbenchmark Suite provides a reliable way to measure performance and identify bottlenecks in your code.

By taking advantage of these performance enhancements, developers can optimize their Java applications for better responsiveness and efficiency.

#java #performance