Type-preserving compilation of Featherweight Java

Abstract

We present an efficient encoding of core Java constructs in a simple, implementable typed intermediate language. The encoding, after type erasure, has the same operational behavior as a standard implementation using vtables and self-application for method invocation. Classes inherit super-class methods with no overhead. We support mutually recursive classes while preserving separate compilation. Our strategy extends naturally to a significant subset of Java, including interfaces and privacy. The formal translation using Featherweight Java allows comprehensible type-preservation proofs and serves as a starting point for extending the translation to new features. Our work provides a foundation for supporting certifying compilation of Java-like class-based languages in a type-theoretic framework.