Bytecode Learning Path

Continuing with the learning path, A good knowledge basis must be built.

Lets start with a few relevant reading material :

• First wikipedia article explaining what java bytecode is all about.
• The actual specification of Java bytecode, kindly engineered by Sun.
• The working developer's Guide to Java Bytecode, an article by TheServerSide.
• IBM article discussing Java byte and why you need it.
• Bytecode Basics the article at JavaWorld that was the trigger for my passion.
• A JVM Language Summit collection of presentations from InfoQ.
  

Continuing with some books that cover this topic from different angles. I hope that in due time I would be able to lay a better review about them... after I read them.

• Inside The Java Virtual Machine
• Programming for the Java(TM) Virtual Machine
• Virtual Machines
• Java Virtual Machine (Java Series)
• Decompiling Java (Hardcover)
• Covert Java: Techniques for Decompiling, Patching, and Reverse Engineering (Paperback)

And here are some projects that deal with Java bytecode manipulation

• http://asm.objectweb.org/
• http://www.csg.is.titech.ac.jp/~chiba/javassist/
• http://jakarta.apache.org/bcel/
• http://jasmin.sourceforge.net/

These should give you a good starting point in exploring the Byte coded wonders of the JVM. Welcome to the world of "Real Programmers".

Last but not least, a link to some more tools and related artifacts for folks looking to toy with Bytecode http://www.artima.com/insidejvm/resources/index.html