Methods, apparatus and computer program products are disclosed for a method
of invoking a native method in a Java virtual machine ("JVM"). A special-purpose
fast interface, executing in conjunction with an interpreter loop, for native methods
reduces C stack recursion in the JVM. The interface performs as an extension to
the interpreter loop component in the JVM in that a native method, invoked via
the special-purpose interface, is able to modify the interpreter loop state if
necessary. This is done without adding new bytecode instructions. A method of executing
a native method in a Java virtual machine is described. The JVM first determines
whether a native method is to be handled by a special native interface or one of
multiple other native interfaces. If it is determined that the method is to be
handled by the special native interface, the method is invoked and passed arguments
enabling it to access the state of the JVM. The method is then executed. The state
of the JVM is adjusted based on the execution of the method such that transition
between the interpreter loop and the native method via the special native interface
is minimized.
