The Anatomy of ct.sym — How javac Ensures Backwards Compatibility
Read OriginalThis technical article delves into how the Java compiler (javac) maintains backwards compatibility using the ct.sym file. It explains the limitations of the --source and --target flags, demonstrates how using the wrong APIs can cause runtime errors, and details how ct.sym provides a portable solution for compile-time API version checking without needing the target JDK installed.
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