CHAPTER 12: Execution

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Execution

This chapter specifies activities that occur during execution of a Java program. It is organized around the life cycle of a Java Virtual Machine and of the classes, interfaces, and objects that form a Java program.

A Java Virtual Machine starts up by loading a specified class and then invoking the method main in this specified class. Section S12.1 outlines the loading, linking, and initialization steps involved in executing main , as an introduction to the concepts in this chapter. Further sections specify the details of loading (S12.2), linking (S12.3), and initialization (S12.4).

The chapter continues with a specification of the procedures for creation of new class instances (S12.5); finalization of class instances (S12.6); and finalization of classes (S12.7). It concludes by describing the unloading of classes (S12.8) and the procedure followed when a virtual machine exits (S12.9).