The class node for an internal name. If the class node is not yet available, it is parsed from the classfile on the compile classpath.

The class node and source file path (if the class is being compiled) for an internal name. If the class node is not yet available, it is parsed from the classfile on the compile classpath.

The field node for a field matching name and descriptor, accessed in class classInternalName. The declaration of the field may be in one of the superclasses.

Contains the internal names of all classes that are defined in Java source files of the current compilation run (mixed compilation). Used for more detailed error reporting.

The method node for a method matching name and descriptor, accessed in class ownerInternalNameOrArrayDescriptor. The declaration of the method may be in one of the parents.

Note that the JVM spec performs method lookup in two steps: resolution and selection.

Method resolution, defined in jvms-5.4.3.3 and jvms-5.4.3.4, is the first step and is identical for all invocation styles (virtual, interface, special, static). If C is the receiver class in the invocation instruction: 1 find a matching method (name and descriptor) in C 2 then in C's superclasses 3 then find the maximally-specific matching superinterface methods, succeed if there's a single non-abstract one. static and private methods in superinterfaces are not considered. 4 then pick a random non-static, non-private superinterface method. 5 then fail.

Note that for an invokestatic instruction, a method reference B.m may resolve to A.m, if class B doesn't specify a matching method m, but the parent A does.

Selection depends on the invocation style and is defined in jvms-6.5.

• invokestatic: invokes the resolved method
• invokevirtual / invokeinterface: searches for an override of the resolved method starting at the dynamic receiver type. the search procedure is basically the same as in resolution, but it fails at 4 instead of picking a superinterface method at random.
• invokespecial: if C is the receiver in the invocation instruction, searches for an override of the resolved method starting at
  • the superclass of the current class, if C is a superclass of the current class
  • C otherwise again, the search procedure is the same.

In the method here we implement method *resolution*. Whether or not the returned method is actually invoked at runtime depends on the invocation instruction and the class hierarchy, so the users (e.g. the inliner) have to be aware of method selection.

Note that the returned method may be abstract (ACC_ABSTRACT), native (ACC_NATIVE) or signature polymorphic (methods invoke and invokeExact in class MethodHandles).

Cache for parsed ClassNodes. The Long field encodes the age of the node in the map, which allows removing old entries when the map grows too large (see limitCacheSize). For Java classes in mixed compilation, the map contains an error message: no ClassNode is generated by the backend and also no classfile that could be parsed.