Java glossary: Master level
28 Java terms at the Master level, each with a short definition and a link to its full page.
Updated
- Atomic Variable
- A value supporting thread-safe single operations without an explicit lock.
- Bytecode
- Platform-independent instructions produced by the Java compiler for the JVM.
- Class Loader
- A JVM component that finds class data and creates runtime Class objects.
- Classpath
- The locations where Java looks for classes and resources outside named modules.
- CompletableFuture
- A Future that supports asynchronous stages and completion callbacks.
- Deadlock
- A state where threads wait forever for locks held by one another.
- Executor Service
- A service that manages worker threads and schedules submitted tasks.
- Future
- A handle for a result that may become available later.
- Garbage Collection
- Automatic recovery of heap memory from objects a program can no longer reach.
- Heap Memory
- Runtime memory where Java objects and arrays are generally stored.
- HotSpot JVM
- A widely used JVM implementation that optimizes frequently executed code.
- Java Memory Model
- The rules describing how threads observe shared memory and coordinate changes.
- Java Platform Module System
- Java's built-in system for reliable configuration and strong module boundaries.
- Just-in-Time Compilation
- Runtime compilation of frequently used bytecode into native machine code.
- Memory Leak
- Unwanted memory growth caused by retaining references to objects no longer needed.
- Module System
- A way to group packages with explicit dependencies and exported APIs.
- module-info.java
- A source file that declares a Java module's name, dependencies, and exported packages.
- Monitor Lock
- The intrinsic lock associated with every Java object.
- OutOfMemoryError
- An error raised when the JVM cannot allocate required memory.
- Race Condition
- A bug where a result depends on unpredictable timing between threads.
- Record Class
- A compact class for immutable-style data whose core members are generated by the compiler.
- Reflection
- Inspecting and using types, members, and annotations at runtime.
- Runnable
- A functional interface representing work that can be run by a thread or executor.
- Sealed Class
- A class or interface that explicitly limits which types may extend or implement it.
- Stack Memory
- Per-thread memory holding method frames, local values, and return information.
- Synchronization
- Coordinating threads so shared state is accessed safely and changes are visible.
- Thread
- An independently scheduled path of execution inside a process.
- Volatile Variable
- A field whose reads and writes have special cross-thread visibility guarantees.