The present invention, generally speaking, provides a machine-independent solution suitable for high-performance systems development. In a preferred embodiment, the solution is Java-based, providing machine independence. The requirements of high-performance systems are satisfied by providing a Java optimizing, ahead-of-time compiler. Optimized ahead-of-time compilation produces code having comparable size and speed as code written in C/C++. At the same time, compatibility with the Java world is afforded, allowing for the mixing and matching of code according to individual system requirements. If the system has a network connection, for example, then the system software may include, in addition to the pre-compiled Java code, a Java Virtual Machine, allowing Java bytecode to be downloaded and run. A coherent model allows for pre-compiled Java code, VM interpreted bytecode and JIT compiled Java code, as well as C/C++code, to interoperate. Preferably, the optimizing ahead-of-time Java compiler is capable of compiling either Java source code or Java bytecode. In this manner, code distributed only in bytecode form may be pre-compiled. A Java stack slot compilation scheme achieves code optimization and overcomes difficulties peculiar to ahead-of-time compilation of Java. In addition, a static layout of Java metadata is created by the compiler, obviating the need to create such a layout at runtime.