What does a just-in-time (JIT) compiler do?

Question

What does a JIT compiler specifically do as opposed to a non-JIT compiler? Can someone give a succinct and easy to understand description?

Answer 1

just-in-time (JIT) compilation, (also dynamic translation or run-time compilation), is a way of executing computer code that involves compilation during execution of a program – at run time – rather than prior to execution.

IT compilation is a combination of the two traditional approaches to translation to machine code – ahead-of-time compilation (AOT), and interpretation – and combines some advantages and drawbacks of both. JIT compilation combines the speed of compiled code with the flexibility of interpretation.

Let's consider JIT used in JVM,

For example, the HotSpot JVM JIT compilers generate dynamic optimizations. In other words, they make optimization decisions while the Java application is running and generate high-performing native machine instructions targeted for the underlying system architecture.

When a method is chosen for compilation, the JVM feeds its bytecode to the Just-In-Time compiler (JIT). The JIT needs to understand the semantics and syntax of the bytecode before it can compile the method correctly. To help the JIT compiler analyze the method, its bytecode are first reformulated in an internal representation called trace trees, which resembles machine code more closely than bytecode. Analysis and optimizations are then performed on the trees of the method. At the end, the trees are translated into native code.

A trace tree is a data structure that is used in the runtime compilation of programming code. Trace trees are used in a type of 'just in time compiler' that traces code executing during hotspots and compiles it. Refer this.

Refer :

• http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/java/gc01/index.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation