Page History

Historically NetBeans project relies on (nb-)javac  for Java editing features, i.e., parsing and lexing, for features such as syntax coloring, code completion, refactorings, and the like. This has some positive aspects, but also some downsides. Read more about nb-javac in Differences: nb-javac.

NetBeans 13 uses Javac from JDK 17!

• Approved

  Jira
  server ASF JIRA columns key,summary,type,created,updated,due,assignee,reporter,priority,status,resolution serverId 5aa69414-a9e9-3523-82ec-879b028fb15b key LEGAL-563

• PR-3206 integrates the below proposed solution into NetBeans 17.
• PR-1 makes sure only Classpath exception  covered files are used in the nb-javac  generated binary
• PR-3251 includes the here-in proposed Javac in all NetBeans complementary binaries
• PR-2783 allows compilation against JDK-17 Javac API - removes need for (reflection & co.) hacks

Pros:

• Adopting latest Java language features is simple(r)
• Errors, hints, warnings in the editor match exactly the command line build
• Close co-operation with JDK language team

...

• On demand download is problematic

  • user needs internet connection 

  • download server needs to be on (finally nb-javac is at least hosted on Maven central)

  • e.g. sometimes download fails

• Code is complicated
  • NetBeans code in java.source  & related modules if full of reflection
  • NetBeans is using internal API of javac (Trees API) and it changes incompatibly with every release

• Testing matrix is complicated

  • each supported JDK needs to be tested twice - with nb-javac  and without nb-javac 

• Every bug/problem one needs to know whether nb-javac  was or wasn't in use

  • Recent version nb-javac-15  isn't really stable

• nb-javac  is a fork of JDK's javac

• Approved

  Jira
  server ASF JIRA columns key,summary,type,created,updated,due,assignee,reporter,priority,status,resolution serverId 5aa69414-a9e9-3523-82ec-879b028fb15b key LEGAL-563

• PR-3206 integrates the here-in proposed solution into NetBeans (post 12.6).
• PR-1 makes sure only Classpath exception  covered files are used in the nb-

  • nobody likes forks

  • ironically Arvind's team is part of JDK organization - e.g. it maintains own fork of JDK's javac 

Status

• • javac 

  generated binaryPR-3251 includes the here-in proposed Javac in all NetBeans complementary binaries

Eliminating the need for nb-javac

...