JOPA: Java compiler in C++, Jikes modernized to Java 6 with Claude

3 days ago

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A fork of Jikes, the historical independent javac implementation in C++, modernized with comprehensive Java 5 and Java 6 language features.
Key Java 5/6 features added: Generics, Enhanced For-Loop, Varargs, Enums, Autoboxing/Unboxing, Static Imports, Annotations, Class file version 50.0, and Debug information.
Requirements include CMake 3.20+, a C++17 compiler, and optional iconv/ICU for encoding support.
Build instructions provided for both Nix and generic CMake setups, including useful CMake options.
Jikes was originally developed by Philippe Charles and Dave Shields at IBM Research, first released in 1997.
Notable for its speed (10-20x faster than javac), error correction, and quality of error messages.
IBM's first open-source project, included in Red Hat Linux in 1999, with IBM ending involvement in late 1999.
Active development ceased in 2005 due to changes in Java language, particularly generics.
Still useful for beginners or as a study subject for compiler courses.
Notable features: written from scratch in C++, efficient storage allocator, no third-party parser tools except Jikes Parser Generator.
Repository includes versions 1.04 through 1.22, sourced from Sourceforge in 2012.
Original authors and numerous contributors listed, highlighting the project's collaborative nature.

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