JEP 493 Linking Run-Time Images without JMODs

[pshipton]

Linking Run-Time Images without JMODs

Should we enable this feature by default in the Java 24 GA release?
Adoptium has removed jmods from the JDK for Java 24.

Restrictions

• jlink cannot be used to create a run-time image that itself contains the jlink tool
• jlink fails if any user-editable configuration files are modified
• cross-linking, e.g., running jlink on Linux/x64 to create a run-time image for Windows/x64, is not possible
• linking from a run-time image that is itself using --patch-module is not supported
• linking by extracting modules from a different run-time image, e.g., by specifying that image to the --module-path option, is not supported

There is a separate jmods directory created, outside of the jdk. This could be made available as a separate download, which removes the restrictions.

[babsingh]

@pshipton Will this require a simple on/off toggle or do we need to evaluate JVM specific work for it?

fyi @tajila

[pshipton]

It should just be a configure option --enable-linkable-runtime, but it's a decision Semeru needs to make. I'll bring it up in the weekly call. I gave it a try and it seems to work.

[pshipton]

Tracking for Semeru in https://github.ibm.com/runtimes/semeru-releases/issues/165