Embedded Java

Embedded Java sounds almost like an oxymoron. Taking a high level, large, interpreted language like Java and using it in an application field dominated by assembly and C certainly seems odd. But it's a reality.

For one thing, the microcontrollers of today are not the limited 1K to 2K ROM, 8-bit, 200kHz machine cycle rate CPUs of yesteryear. They're more powerful than the desktop systems of 10-15 years ago in many cases. And we were playing Quake II on those. So maybe Java isn't quite such a stretch, after all.

NanoVM is a small, subscale Java-ish virtual machine that runs on tiny 8-bit microcontrollers like the AVR ATMega8. It's not a full Java, but it covers most of what's interesting to the microcontroller programmer.

The JStamp is a Java development system for the aJile micros. It's also not a full Java SE implementation (what would you do with the extra bits, even if it was?), but it is a verifiable real-time Java system for embedded development.

Also, IS2T has MicroEJ, another embedded Java for a number of processors. Everything from the basics of execution and I/O up to GUIs, SOAs, and safety-critical libraries are available.

I still remember when it was considered laughable to consider a C-language embedded development system. But it has either nudged assembly out of the top spot for embedded development or is close to it, now. Any language that is popular enough can be brought to the task now, and Java is no exception.

It's all just a bunch of ones and zeroes in the end.