Module java.compiler

# Package javax.tools

package javax.tools
Provides interfaces for tools which can be invoked from a program, for example, compilers.

These interfaces and classes are required as part of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE), but there is no requirement to provide any tools implementing them.

Unless explicitly allowed, all methods in this package might throw a `NullPointerException` if given a `null` argument or if given a list or collection containing `null` elements. Similarly, no method may return `null` unless explicitly allowed.

This package is the home of the Java programming language compiler framework. This framework allows clients of the framework to locate and run compilers from programs. The framework also provides Service Provider Interfaces (SPI) for structured access to diagnostics (`DiagnosticListener`) as well as a file abstraction for overriding file access (`JavaFileManager` and `JavaFileObject`). See `JavaCompiler` for more details on using the SPI.

There is no requirement for a compiler at runtime. However, if a default compiler is provided, it can be located using the `ToolProvider`, for example:

    JavaCompiler compiler = ToolProvider.getSystemJavaCompiler();

It is possible to provide alternative compilers or tools through the service provider mechanism.

For example, if `com.vendor.VendorJavaCompiler` is a provider of the `JavaCompiler` tool then its jar file would contain the file `META-INF/services/javax.tools.JavaCompiler`. This file would contain the single line:

    com.vendor.VendorJavaCompiler

If the jar file is on the class path, `VendorJavaCompiler` can be located using code like this:

    JavaCompiler compiler = ServiceLoader.load(JavaCompiler.class).iterator().next();

Since:
  1.6

Class
Description
Diagnostic<S>
Interface for diagnostics from tools.
Diagnostic.Kind
Kinds of diagnostics, for example, error or warning.
DiagnosticCollector<S>
Provides an easy way to collect diagnostics in a list.
DiagnosticListener<S>
Interface for receiving diagnostics from tools.
DocumentationTool
Interface to invoke Java programming language documentation tools from programs.
DocumentationTool.DocumentationTask
Interface representing a future for a documentation task.
DocumentationTool.Location
Locations specific to `DocumentationTool`.
FileObject
File abstraction for tools.
ForwardingFileObject<F extends FileObject>
Forwards calls to a given file object.
ForwardingJavaFileManager<M extends JavaFileManager>
Forwards calls to a given file manager.
ForwardingJavaFileObject<F extends JavaFileObject>
Forwards calls to a given file object.
JavaCompiler
Interface to invoke Java programming language compilers from programs.
JavaCompiler.CompilationTask
Interface representing a future for a compilation task.
JavaFileManager
File manager for tools operating on Java programming language source and class files.
JavaFileManager.Location
Interface for locations of file objects.
JavaFileObject
File abstraction for tools operating on Java programming language source and class files.
JavaFileObject.Kind
Kinds of JavaFileObjects.
OptionChecker
Interface for recognizing options.
SimpleJavaFileObject
Provides simple implementations for most methods in JavaFileObject.
StandardJavaFileManager
File manager based on `java.io.File` and `java.nio.file.Path`.
StandardJavaFileManager.PathFactory
Factory to create `Path` objects from strings.
StandardLocation
Standard locations of file objects.
Tool
Common interface for tools that can be invoked from a program.
ToolProvider
Provides methods for locating tool providers, for example, providers of compilers.