What are the different types of Java modules?

Warner 180 Published: 08/11/2024

What are the different types of Java modules?

I'm happy to respond in English!

Java has several types of modules that serve specific purposes and can be used in various applications. Here are some of the most common ones:

Java Modules (JARs): These are standard Java Archive files that contain compiled Java classes, interfaces, and other resources. JARs are the basic building blocks for creating Java modules. They can be packaged into a single file or distributed separately. Maven Modules: Maven is a popular build automation tool in Java. Maven modules are based on the concept of project-oriented builds, where a module represents an individual component within a larger project. Maven modules usually follow the directory structure and naming conventions defined by the Maven Project.

Gradle Modules: Gradle is another widely-used build automation tool for Java. Gradle modules are similar to Maven modules in that they represent individual components or sub-projects within a larger project. The key differences lie in their configuration files (build.gradle) and directory structures. OSGi Modules: OSGi (Open Service Gateway Initiative) is an open standard for creating modular, distributed applications in Java. OSGi modules are designed to work together seamlessly, allowing developers to create complex systems from individual components. Each module contains its own bundle, which includes the code and dependencies required for that component. Jigsaw Modules: Jigsaw is a new module system introduced in Java 9 (and later) for creating modular Java applications. Jigsaw modules are self-contained packages that can be easily integrated with other modules to form larger systems. They support different types of dependencies, such as compile-time and runtime dependencies, allowing for more flexibility when building large-scale applications. Java SE Modules: The Java Standard Edition (SE) module system provides a way to package and distribute Java libraries and APIs in a modular fashion. Java SE modules are designed to be lightweight and easy to manage, making it simpler to include third-party libraries or custom code within an application. JPMS Modules: Java Platform Module System (JPMS) is the next generation of Java module system, introduced with Java 13. JPMS modules provide a way to package and distribute Java applications in a modular fashion, supporting new features like runtime dependencies and isolation.

In summary, each type of Java module serves a specific purpose or is designed for a particular application framework (e.g., Maven, Gradle, OSGi). Understanding the different types of Java modules can help developers create more robust, scalable, and maintainable software systems.

Java 9 modules example

Here's an example of using Java 9 modules to create a simple modularized application:

Let's say we want to create a simple calculator application that performs arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

First, we need to define the modules for our application. In this case, we can have two separate modules: calculator-api and calculator-impl.

The calculator-api module will contain the API for the calculator, which includes the definitions of the arithmetic operations. This module will also provide a service interface for other modules to use.

The calculator-impl module will contain the actual implementation of the calculator operations.

Here's how we can define these modules in our module-info.java file:

// calculator-api/module-info.java

module calculator.api {

exports com.example.calculator.api;

}

// calculator-impl/module-info.java

uses com.example.calculator.api.CalculatorService;

requires com.example.calculator.api;

exports com.example.calculator.impl;

Next, we can create the API and implementation classes. In this case, we'll have a CalculatorService interface in the calculator-api module:

// calculator-api/src/main/java/com/example/calculator/api/CalculatorService.java

package com.example.calculator.api;

public interface CalculatorService {

int add(int a, int b);

int subtract(int a, int b);

int multiply(int a, int b);

double divide(double a, double b);

}

We'll then implement this API in the calculator-impl module:

// calculator-impl/src/main/java/com/example/calculator/impl/CalculatorImpl.java

package com.example.calculator.impl;

import com.example.calculator.api.CalculatorService;

public class CalculatorImpl implements CalculatorService {

@Override

public int add(int a, int b) {

return a + b;

}

@Override

public int subtract(int a, int b) {

return a - b;

}

@Override

public int multiply(int a, int b) {

return a * b;

}

@Override

public double divide(double a, double b) {

if (b == 0) {

throw new ArithmeticException("Division by zero");

}

return a / b;

}

}

To use the calculator-impl module in another application, we can simply add it as a dependency:

// my-app/module-info.java

requires calculator.api;

requires calculator.impl;

uses com.example.calculator.impl.CalculatorImpl;

Then we can create an instance of CalculatorImpl and use its methods to perform calculations:

// my-app/src/main/java/com/example/myapp/MyApp.java

package com.example.myapp;

import com.example.calculator.api.CalculatorService;

import com.example.calculator.impl.CalculatorImpl;

public class MyApp {

public static void main(String[] args) {

CalculatorService calculator = new CalculatorImpl();

int result = calculator.add(2, 3);

System.out.println("Result: " + result);

}

}

This is just a simple example of using Java 9 modules to create a modularized application. With modules, you can easily manage dependencies between different parts of your application and ensure that each module has its own API and implementation.

Note: You can find the full source code for this example on GitHub: https://github.com/johnsmith89/java-9-modularity-example

Please let me know if you have any questions or need further clarification!