Soot: a Java Optimization Framework
Latest version: 2.1 (Dec 17, 2003)
Need help using Soot? See the Soot tutorials.
Soot is a Java optimization framework. It provides four intermediate
representations for analyzing and transforming Java bytecode:
- Baf: a streamlined representation of bytecode which is simple to
manipulate.
- Jimple: a typed 3-address intermediate representation suitable for
optimization.
- Shimple: an SSA variation of Jimple.
- Grimp: an aggregated version of Jimple suitable for decompilation and
code inspection.
Soot can be used as a stand alone tool to optimize or inspect class files, as well
as a framework to develop optimizations or transformations on Java
bytecode.
Soot is free software and is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public
License.
The Soot Framework is an evolving research project. Our goal is to produce a
robust, easy-to-use research framework for optimizing Java bytecode.
The latest release is version 2.1. The major new feature since 2.0.1 is the
Java-to-Jimple compiler. Also, this version contains significant improvements
to the Eclipse plugin, Shimple, and Spark, as well as general Soot bug fixes.
The 2.0 version number indicates that some things may have changed, and
code written to work with earlier versions of Soot may need some
tweaking, but such changes should be minor.
We are using Subversion for
revision control.
With a Subversion client, you can obtain a copy of the
development version of Soot, as well as any old versions. To obtain the
latest development version of Soot, use one of the following commands:
svn checkout https://svn.sable.mcgill.ca/soot/soot/trunk soot-dev
svn export https://svn.sable.mcgill.ca/soot/soot/trunk soot-dev
The checkout version records additional information required
to update your checked out version of Soot with the repository at a
later time (with the svn update command). The export
version provides a "clean" copy of only the Soot files themselves.
In order to compile Soot from source, you will also need a copy of
the Jasmin and Polyglot classes, available from the
download page.
You can also browse our latest version of the Soot repository, as well as a ViewCVS history, using
just a web browser. For further instructions, please see
http://svn.sable.mcgill.ca/.
Since version 2.0, Soot includes a plugin that makes it
possible to use Soot from Eclipse.
We have a separate web page with instructions for
installing and using the plugin.
| Download and Installation |
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Get Soot from our software repository at http://www.sable.mcgill.ca/software.
To install it you must unjar(untar) it, and add the classes directory
soot-2.1/soot/classes to your CLASSPATH. The Jasmin and Polyglot
classes jar files must also be added to your CLASSPATH.
To test your installation of Soot, try:
java soot.Main --help
for some options on processing classfiles. They are documented in more detail in the
usage document.
Note that Soot requires at least JDK 1.2 (Java 2), as it uses Java Collections.
The Eclipse plugin requires at least JDK 1.4.
Soot is already compiled in the distribution. To recompile Soot, we
use gmake(GNU make) using the Makefile in the main
soot directory. Jasmin must be in your classpath
to compile Soot. Jasmin can be recompiled by using the script ./bin/compile_all.sh
in the main Jasmin directory (you may need to type sh ./bin/compile_all.sh).
NOTE: The Jimple parser is generated by SableCC.
It requires lexer.dat and parser.dat files to be in the classes directory;
they are provided in the src directory. Also, Soot uses peephole optimization to improve the
generated bytecode. This requires that the peephole.dat file be copied to
the classes directory. The provided Makefile
automatically copies these files as needed.
We have developed a number of documents describing Soot. Your main
current sources of information are:
- Our publication page
has several conference papers describing Soot.
- A set of tutorials describing Soot, both as a Java application optimizer and
as a compiler framework.
- The Soot API. Most of the
functionality is self-explanatory. This API is included in the Soot
distribution.
- The Soot source itself. It is full of examples on how to use the API.
- The Soot mailing list. You can browse the archive as well as
posting new questions to the Soot user community.
The mailing list
soot-list@sable.mcgill.ca
is the primary forum
for questions, discussions and comments on the Soot framework.
To subscribe, send an e-mail to
majordomo@sable.mcgill.ca with
subscribe soot-list
in the body.
To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to majordomo@sable.mcgill.ca with
unsubscribe soot-list
in the body.
You can also view the mailing list archive.
The official Soot maintainers are
Patrick Lam,
Feng Qian, and
Ondřej Lhoták. For Soot support, write to the Soot mailing list at
soot-list@sable.mcgill.ca.
Click here for the complete list of contributors and acknowledgements.
Last updated on Dec 17, 2003
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