Microsoft has just released jaz, a JVM launcher optimized for Azure that promises to speed up your cloud-based applications.

As we've repeatedly stated, Java and cloud workloads go hand in hand, just loved by the enterprise. However one issue that still persists is how to tweak the JVM for better throughput, because in the cloud environment every milisecond counts.

Back in in 2023, in Azul To Tackle Java's Warm Up Issues, we explored Azul's solution to the issue and what made it different from the rest of the options available at the time:

OpenJDK Leyden, Eclipse Adoptium FastStartup Incubator project and CRaC are solutions instilled into the JDK. Azul offers an alternative solution called ReadyNow, at the platform level.

ReadyNow works by monitoring your Java application for usage patterns and the most efficient optimizations, then builds a profile of those optimizations. The next time you start your application the JVM immediately performs those optimizations, getting your application to full speed as quickly as possible, so that you gain:

• • New JVMs reach peak speed faster
  • Consistent speed throughout the life of your Java app because ReadyNow can predict changes in usage patterns and eliminate de-optimization storms
  • Consistent, peak performance during critical times like market open or high-volume online shopping periods

Time has come for Microsoft to come up with its own solution as well, with jaz. jaz is a command that when launching your application with it, it will:

• Detect the cloud environment (e.g., container limits, available memory)
• Analyze the workload type and selects best-fit JVM options
• Launch the Java process with optimized flags, such as:
• Heap sizing
• GC selection and tuning
• Logging and diagnostics settings as needed

Just fire : $ jaz -jar myapp.jar

and you're good to go, benefiting from sensitive defaults for cloud native and container workloads, reduced memory waste, better startup and warmup performance and all of that without resorting to hacks and manual tweaking of the JVM.

Like ReadyNow, which is available for Azul Platform Prime, so is jaz for Azure. Despite the proprietary nature of the platform, a  comparison would be great in order to check which performs better, which could also serve as the catalyst for choosing the platform for your business.

Nevertheless, with initiatives both at the JDK level as well as the platform level, JVM's warm up issues might be soon a thing of the past.

jaz is currently available through a Private Preview. Sign up here to request access.

More Information

Announcing Azure Command Launcher for Java

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