USING JYTHON TO PROTOTYPE AND EXTEND JAVA-BASED SYSTEMS

Jython is an implementation of the interpretive programming language Python written in Java and designed to generate Java Virtual Machine byte codes. It provides easy access to compiled Java classes including substantial Java libraries. It also provides many of the libraries that are popular with programmers of C-based Python. Python‟s object-oriented language constructs support creation of executable specifications for object-oriented Java systems. Python‟s high-level source language mechanisms include generic container types, meta-classes, first-class functions, closures, generators, list comprehensions, source-level reflection and run-time interpretation of generated source code. Consequently, Jython can serve as a powerful rapid prototyping and extension environment for Java applications and frameworks. Its integration into the Java Virtual Machine allows construction of layered systems composed of Jython and Java layers. Example systems discussed in the paper include a prototype computer game that uses Java‟s graphical user interface libraries, a computer music performance system that allows users to write instrument control code as part of a performance, a Jython-Java layered system for analyzing audio data streams, and multiprocessor performance benchmarks written in Jython and Java