How to Compile Java in Google Compute Engine

Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It’s versatile and efficient and can be used to develop various applications, from web-based to mobile apps and beyond.

If you’re a Java developer looking to compile your code in the cloud, you might wonder how to do it on Google Compute Engine.

This article will walk you through the steps to compile Java in Google Compute Engine.

What is Google Compute Engine?

Google Compute Engine (GCE) is a cloud computing platform that allows users to run virtual machines on Google’s infrastructure.

It’s part of the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) suite of services, which includes other services such as Google Cloud Storage, Google Cloud Functions, and more.

GCE offers a variety of options for virtual machines, including different machine types, operating systems, and disk sizes.

You can also use pre-configured images with popular software like the Java Development Kit (JDK).

Compiling Java on Google Compute Engine

You must follow a few steps to compile Java code on GCE. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to do:

Set up a Java Development Environment

Before compiling Java on GCE, you must set up a Java development environment. This typically includes installing the JDK, a set of software tools for developing Java applications.

You can install the JDK on a GCE instance using the command line. Here’s an example command you can use to install the JDK: sudo apt-get install openjdk-11-jdk-headless

This command installs the OpenJDK 11 JDK, a free and open-source implementation of the Java SE Platform.

Install a Build Automation Tool

Once you’ve installed the JDK, you must install a build automation tool. Build automation tools are used to automate the building, testing, and deploying Java applications.

Several Java build automation tools, including Gradle, Maven, Ant, and Ivy, are available.

You can install these tools on a GCE instance using the command line. Here’s an example command you can use to install Maven: sudo apt-get install maven

Install an IDE or Editor

While compiling Java code using only the command line is possible, most developers prefer to use an integrated development environment (IDE) or editor. IDEs and editors provide syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging.

Some popular Java IDEs and editors include IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans. You can install these tools on a GCE instance using the command line.

Here’s an example command you can use to install IntelliJ IDEA: sudo snap install intellij-idea-community –classic

Develop your Java Application

Once you’ve set up your development environment, you can develop your Java application. You can create your Java files using any text editor or IDE. Once you’ve written your code, please save it to a file with a .java extension.

Compile your Java Application

You must use the command line to compile your Java code on GCE. You can use the JDK’s Javac command to compile your code.

Here’s an example command you can use to compile a Java file named HelloWorld.java: javac HelloWorld.java

This command will create a file named HelloWorld.class, which contains the compiled bytecode for your application.

Package your Java Application

Once you’ve compiled your Java code, package it into a JAR file. A JAR file is a compressed file format used to distribute Java applications.

You can create a JAR file using the JDK jar command. Here’s an example command you can use to create a JAR file named HelloWorld.jar: jar cvf HelloWorld.jar HelloWorld.class

This command will create a JAR file named HelloWorld.jar, which contains the compiled bytecode for your application.

Deploy your Java Application

Once you’ve packaged your Java application into a JAR file, you can deploy it to GCE. There are several ways to deploy a Java application on GCE, including using Google Cloud App Engine or containerizing your application using Docker.

If you choose App Engine, you must create an application and configure your app. yaml file. Here’s an example app. yaml file that deploys a Spring Boot application:

runtime: java11

instance_class: F1

handlers:

– url: /.*

  script: auto

This app. yaml file specifies that the application should run on Java 11 and use an F1 instance class. The handlers section specifies that the application should handle all requests.

If you containerize your Java application using Docker, you must create a Dockerfile and build your Docker image. Here’s an example Dockerfile that containerizes a Spring Boot application using Jib:

FROM adoptopenjdk:11-jre-hotspot

COPY target/myapp.jar /app.jar

ENTRYPOINT [“java”,”-jar”,”/app.jar”]

This Dockerfile specifies that the image should use the AdoptOpenJDK 11 JRE Hotspot image as the base image. It also copies the JAR file generated by the build process to the image and specifies the command to run the application.

Once you’ve built your Docker image, you can deploy it to GCE using the Google Cloud SDK’s gcloud command line interface. Here’s an example command you can use to deploy your Docker image: gcloud run deploy myapp –image gcr.io/my-project/my-image –platform managed

This command deploys the Docker image to Google Cloud Run, a fully managed service for running containers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, compiling Java on Google Compute Engine is a straightforward process that requires setting up a Java development environment, installing a build automation tool and an IDE or editor, developing your Java application, compiling your Java code, packaging your Java application, and deploying it to GCE.

Following these steps, you can easily compile and deploy Java applications in the cloud.

Compile Java in Google Compute Engine-FAQ