How to Dynamically Compile and Load External Java Classes using JavaCompiler?

How to Dynamically Compile and Load External Java Classes

When creating programs that allow users to customize functionality through plugins, it's essential to have the ability to compile and load external Java classes. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to achieve this:

Using JavaCompiler

For dynamic compilation, utilize the JavaCompiler class. Below is an example based on the JavaDocs:

import javax.tools.*;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.Writer;
import java.net.URL;
import java.net.URLClassLoader;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;

public class DynamicCompilation {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Write the class to a file
        File helloWorldJava = new File("testcompile/HelloWorld.java");
        ...

        // Compile the file
        DiagnosticCollector<JavaFileObject> diagnostics = new DiagnosticCollector<>();
        JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();
        StandardJavaFileManager fileManager = compiler.getStandardFileManager(diagnostics, null, null);

        // Set the classpath
        List<String> optionList = new ArrayList<>();
        optionList.add("-classpath");
        optionList.add(System.getProperty("java.class.path") + File.pathSeparator + "dist/InlineCompiler.jar");

        Iterable<? extends JavaFileObject> compilationUnit = fileManager.getJavaFileObjectsFromFiles(Arrays.asList(helloWorldJava));
        JavaCompiler.CompilationTask task = compiler.getTask(null, fileManager, diagnostics, optionList, null, compilationUnit);

        if (task.call()) {
            // Load and execute the compiled class
            URLClassLoader classLoader = new URLClassLoader(new URL[]{new File("./").toURI().toURL()});
            Class<?> loadedClass = classLoader.loadClass("testcompile.HelloWorld");
            Object obj = loadedClass.newInstance();
            if (obj instanceof DoStuff) {
                DoStuff stuffToDo = (DoStuff) obj;
                stuffToDo.doStuff();
            }
        } else {
            ...
        }
        fileManager.close();
    }

    public static interface DoStuff {

        public void doStuff();
    }

}

This code demonstrates how to create a Java file, compile it using JavaCompiler, and load and execute the compiled class using a custom ClassLoader. Note that this example includes a ClassPath for the compiler.

Additional Resources

• [JavaCompiler API](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/javax/tools/JavaCompiler.html)
• [ClassLoader API](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html)

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