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Kijaro Project Provides Playground to Add Language Features to the OpenJDK

by Bryan Clauser on Dec 07, 2007 |

Built on a copy of the Open JDK javac compiler, a new project Kijaro has laid the groundwork for developers to add their desired features to Java. Unlike a similar project KSL, Kijaro is less restrictive on developers with the rules and legal bindings, having the following rules:

Documentation. Each new language feature must have some form of associated document, even if its just a blog. It doesn't have to be much, but should have an outline of why the feature is needed and the syntax implications.
Backwards compatibility. On svn TRUNK all existing Java code must compile.
Comments. Each change must have a comment so we can find it later, such as 'FCM-MREF'.

Each feature in Kijaro is its own branch within the project, allowing for a cleaner division of the features being worked on. Kijaro project lead Stephen Colebourne recently outlined a list enhancements that have already been done in his blog:

First Class Methods (FCM) - Stephen Colebourne and Stefan Schulz - method references and inner methods
Properties - Remi Forax - new property keyword

For more information, or to start a branch in the Kijaro project contact the mailing list.

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goodbye java by Christopher Brind Posted

Re: goodbye java by Michael Neale Posted

goodbye java by Christopher Brind

Java's been going for a good long time now. I remember guys on my Uni course 10 years ago doing their degree projects on it. Since then it's matured and come on leaps and bounds, resisting all kinds of abuse and slagging from ill-informed geeks all over the place. What kept Java strong and mature and gave it the momentum to keep growing? Certainly not Open Source that's for sure! As far as I'm concerned these Open Source JDK projects will be the death of Java and by allowing even fewer restrictions on developer's abilities to add features this project allows Java to be watered down like bad beer in a in student night club.

RIP Java 1995-2007. =(

Re: goodbye java by Michael Neale

Are you serious? These "play" branches (kitchen sink stuff) is to avoid that. Rather then have one persons idea dominate, people and try, and get a feel for what things really work like before they are committed to the main line.