native-image

high-performance JDK with ahead-of-time native compilation and polyglot support

TLDR

Compile Java to native executable

$ native-image -jar [app.jar]

Compile with specific output name

$ native-image -jar [app.jar] -o [myapp]

Run JavaScript file

$ js [script.js]

Run Python file

$ graalpy [script.py]

Install additional language

$ gu install [python]

List installed components

$ gu list

Show GraalVM version

$ java -version

Compile with build report

$ native-image --diagnostics-mode -jar [app.jar]

SYNOPSIS

native-image [options] class|-jar jarfile
gu command [options] [component]
js [options] [file]
graalpy [options] [file]

GraalVM is a high-performance JDK with ahead-of-time native compilation and polyglot support. It runs Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, R, and LLVM-based languages.
native-image compiles Java applications to native executables. Benefits include instant startup, reduced memory, and no JVM dependency. Requires closed-world analysis—all code paths must be known at build time.
Reflection, dynamic proxies, and resources need configuration files. Use the tracing agent: java -agentlib:native-image-agent=config-output-dir=conf -jar app.jar to generate them.
gu (GraalVM Updater) manages optional components. Install language runtimes like Python (graalpy), Ruby (truffleruby), or LLVM toolchain.
GraalVM's Truffle framework enables high-performance language implementations. Languages can interoperate—call JavaScript from Java or vice versa.

NATIVE-IMAGE OPTIONS

-o name

Output file name.

-jar file

Input JAR file.

--no-fallback

Build native-only image (no JVM fallback).

--static

Build fully static executable.

-H:Name=name

Native image name.

-H:+ReportExceptionStackTraces

Enable stack traces.

--initialize-at-build-time

Initialize classes at build time.

--initialize-at-run-time=classes

Initialize classes at runtime.

-H:ReflectionConfigurationFiles=file

Reflection configuration.

--diagnostics-mode

Generate diagnostic information.

--verbose

Verbose output.

GU COMMANDS

install component

Install GraalVM component.

remove component

Remove component.

list

List installed components.

available

List available components.

update

Update installed components.

rebuild-images

Rebuild native launchers.

CAVEATS

Native image build is resource-intensive. Some Java features require explicit configuration. Not all libraries support native compilation. Build time significantly longer than JVM startup.

HISTORY

GraalVM was developed at Oracle Labs, based on research into dynamic compilation. First released in 2018 as version 1.0. The Graal compiler originated from the Maxine VM project. GraalVM CE (Community Edition) is open source; Enterprise Edition adds optimizations. Native Image became production-ready in GraalVM 21. The project enables cloud-native Java with frameworks like Quarkus and Micronaut.