Hi Jaroslav, I like the general idea. Using release where possible should give us a higher ensurance not to create unusable builds.
I can imaging where it might be interesting to build a class file for an older bytecode level, but still against a current API: If the usage of the new API is propertly behind version checks, then the module could use newer API on newer JDKs, but retain compatibility with older JDKs. Having said this, I also thing this is a corner case and if necessary we can still switch over. If I also remember correctly, MethodHandles should give us room to implement reflection like access with the speed of bytecode invocation, so it might not even be worth it. I also think requiring JDK 9+ to compile NetBeans (effectively meaning 11) is ok at this point in time. We should just be prepared, when the first version bumps for release to 11 are requested :-). Greetings Matthias Am Dienstag, den 09.02.2021, 19:58 +0100 schrieb Jaroslav Tulach: > Has anyone seen this email? I haven't received any replies and I cannot find > it > in the mailing list archive... > -jt > > Sent on Nov 28, 2020: > > Hi. > > The release is successfully over, long live the next release! > > > > Since the [failure of modern code](https://github.com/apache/netbeans/pull/ > > 2369) experiment, I can't stop thinking about the enormous possibilities > > NetBeans project could get by adopting `--release` flag of `javac`. There > > has been numerous voices calling for "coding against never JDK" and that's > > what the `--release` flag and the nature of [NetBeans Runtime > > Container](http:// wiki.apidesign.org/wiki/NetBeans_Runtime_Container) > > allows us to do. However, let's start with the basics: > > > > Let's enable usage of `--release` in our Ant Javac task and let's make it > > the same as the `javac.target` value: > > > > ```diff > > --- a/nbbuild/antsrc/org/netbeans/nbbuild/CustomJavac.java > > +++ b/nbbuild/antsrc/org/netbeans/nbbuild/CustomJavac.java > > @@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ > > > > @Override > > public void execute() throws BuildException { > > + String tgr = getTarget(); > > + if (tgr.matches("\\d+")) { > > + tgr = "1." + tgr; > > + } > > + setRelease(tgr.substring(2)); > > String src = getSource(); > > if (src.matches("\\d+")) { > > src = "1." + src; > > ``` > > > > That immediately shows errors in our code base. Just compile with JDK-11 and > > you'll see errors like: > > > > ```bash > > [nb-javac] Compiling 8 source files to /netbeans/platform/queries/build/ > > classes > > [nb-javac] Ignoring source, target and bootclasspath as release has been > > set [repeat] warning: [options] source value 6 is obsolete and will be > > removed in a future release > > [repeat] warning: [options] target value 1.6 is obsolete and will be > > removed in a future release > > [repeat] warning: [options] To suppress warnings about obsolete options, > > use -Xlint:-options. > > [repeat] /netbeans/platform/queries/src/org/netbeans/api/queries/ > > VersioningQuery.java:52: error: cannot find symbol > > [repeat] java.util.Objects.requireNonNull(uri); > > [repeat] ^ > > [repeat] symbol: class Objects > > [repeat] location: package java.util > > [repeat] 1 error > > [repeat] 3 warnings > > [nbmerge] Failed to build target: all-queries > > ``` > > > > What's the problem? In spite our code sets the `javac.target=1.6`, it is > > using API which isn't present in JDK6. That's wrong. Let's fix that! > > > > We need a Travis job using JDK-11 to compile (JDK8 doesn't support the `-- > > release` flag and Ant javac task just ignores it) and then we need us to fix > > all the compilation issues found. > > > > If the change is done properly (and the `--release` flag is used at all > > compilations), we can drop the requirement to use JDK8 to compile Apache > > NetBeans. Yet the code will still run on JDK8 thanks to using `--release 8` > > or older. How does that sound? > > > > Jaroslav Tulach > > NetBeans Platform Architect > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@netbeans.apache.org > For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@netbeans.apache.org > > For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscr...@netbeans.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: dev-h...@netbeans.apache.org For further information about the NetBeans mailing lists, visit: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/NETBEANS/Mailing+lists
