The Byte Code Engineering Library (BCEL) is a project sponsored by the Apache Foundation previously under their Jakarta charter to provide a simple API for decomposing, modifying, and recomposing binary Java classes (I.e. bytecode). The project was conceived and developed by Markus Dahm prior to officially being donated to the Apache Jakarta foundation on 27 October 2001. It is a part of Apache Commons.
Uses
BCEL provides a simple library that exposes the internal aggregate components of a given Java class through its API as object constructs (as opposed to the disassembly of the lower-level opcodes). These objects also expose operations for modifying the binary bytecode, as well as generating new bytecode (via injection of new code into the existing code, or through generation of new classes altogether.) The BCEL library has been used in several diverse applications, such as:
- Java Bytecode Decompiling, Obfuscation, and Refactoring
- Performance and Profiling
- Implementation of New Language Semantics
See also
- Free and open-source software portal
- Computer programming portal
- ObjectWeb ASM
- Javassist
External links
- Official website
- BCEL-Based Project Listing - A listing of projects that make use of the BCEL Library.
- Apache Jakarta Home - The Apache Jakarta Home Page.
- AspectJ - The AspectJ Project Home Page. (One of the high-visibility projects that makes use of BCEL.)