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JRuby

tool 23 connections

Ruby implementation on the Java Virtual Machine. Enables Ruby code to call Java and Kotlin libraries as if they were Ruby classes (Java case auto-converted to Ruby snake_case). Charles Nutter has worked on it full-time since 2006, originally hired by Sun Microsystems at the start of the Rails explosion. Focused first on being a faithful Ruby implementation (same tools, same command lines, same workflow) and second on JVM benefits. Currently supports Ruby 3.4 (98–99% of Ruby core specs pass; missing pieces are things that can't be done on the JVM like forking); JRuby 10.1 (due ~April 2026) will support Ruby 4.0. Ships pre-compiled Java-bytecode extensions so no C build tools are needed on target systems. Packages as executable JAR files (run via `java -jar`) or WAR files deployable on any Java application server. JRuby Rack bridges the Java Servlet API to any Rack application (Rails, Sinatra, Hanami, etc.). The JIT compiles Ruby → JRuby IR bytecode → JVM bytecode → optimized native code (first native JIT for Ruby, ~2008). Benefits from world-class JVM garbage collectors (including pauseless configurations), monitoring via VisualVM, and trivially parallel threads with shared mutable state — no GIL. Used to drive a Kotlin roguelike framework from Ruby (Game Hunter lightning talk). JRuby 10.1 also integrates new JVM features (Leyden-style pre-optimization, Lilliput object shrinking — JRuby objects now ~half the size of C Ruby objects in memory).

category
language
current_version
10.0.5
upcoming_version
10.1 (Ruby 4.0 support)
Uses JRuby to call a Kotlin framework from Ruby
about
JRuby tool
Core subject: JRuby's capabilities, performance, and production use cases.
about
JRuby tool
Describes JRuby's enterprise-adoption strengths.
about
JRuby tool
Recommendation grounded in JRuby's Maven-Central interop.
about
JRuby tool
Notes progress from multi-second startup to ~400ms baseline.
about
JRuby tool
Asks about JRuby's downsides.
about
JRuby tool
Compares JRuby to TruffleRuby.
about
JRuby tool
Asks about Rails support in JRuby.
about
JRuby tool
Asks how JRuby deploys on PaaS platforms.
about
JRuby tool
Jokingly asks Charles to rework a Ractor talk to use JRuby.
Asker compares to the JRuby background-thread + GUI workflow.
about
JRuby tool
Cited as the Ruby implementation running on the Java VM.
tool JRuby
related_to
Virtual Machine concept
JRuby replaces Ruby's YARV with the Java Virtual Machine.
tool JRuby
uses
Java tool
JRuby runs on the JVM; extensions are written in Java instead of C.
tool JRuby
uses
JRuby Rack tool
JRuby Rack bridges Java Servlet API to Rack for WAR deployments.
uses
JRuby tool
Ships commercial software as JRuby JAR/WAR archives with AOT obfuscation.
company Poshmark
uses
JRuby tool
Uses JRuby for high-throughput e-commerce serving tens of thousands of concurrent users.
company Kami
uses
JRuby tool
Backend PDF-processing service handles millions of PDFs/day on JRuby with JVM PDF libraries.
uses
JRuby tool
Fans out hundreds/thousands of notifications in parallel on JRuby.
tool Logstash
uses
JRuby tool
Logstash has been built on JRuby for essentially its entire lifespan.
works_on
JRuby tool
Full-time JRuby developer since 2006 (20 years); now lead.
role: lead developer since: 2006
works_on
JRuby tool
Funds JRuby development via consulting, trials, migrations, and upgrades.
role: funder
works_on
JRuby tool
First big-company sponsor of JRuby development.
role: sponsor

Provenance

Created in
wroclove.rb 2023 Lightning Talks 2026-04-17 22:11
Read by
10 extractions