Flexible and extensible java bytecode instrumentation system

A tool for injecting code into compiled applications, comprising:

• a probe description language useful for abstracting away the complexity of underlying bytecode instructions;
• a probe descriptor library comprising instrumentation code written in said probe description language;
• and
• an instrumentation engine capable of interpreting the instrumentation code and injecting the instrumentation code into a compiled application.

A system for monitoring performance of an application, comprising:

• a probe comprising instrumentation code for monitoring an application at specific injection points in an application;
• a directive file containing instructions on injecting said probe into said compiled application;
• and
• an instrumentation engine for reading said instructions from said directive file and injecting said probe into said compiled application.

A system for debugging a compiled Java application, comprising:

• a probe comprising instrumentation code for debugging an application at specific injection points in an application;
• a directive file containing instructions on injecting said probe into said compiled application;
• and
• an instrumentation engine for reading said instructions from said directive file and injecting said probe into said compiled application.

A method for injecting code into a compiled application, comprising:

• reading probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation in an instrumentation engine;
• interpreting the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• injecting the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.

A computer-readable medium, comprising:

• means for reading probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation;
• means for interpreting the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• means for injecting the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.

A computer program product for execution by a server computer for injecting code into a compiled application, comprising:

• computer code for reading probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation;
• computer code for interpreting the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• computer code for injecting the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.

A system for injecting code into a compiled application, comprising:

• means for reading probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation;
• means for interpreting the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• means for injecting the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• object code executed by said processor, said object code configured to:
• read probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation;
• interpret the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• inject the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.

A computer data signal embodied in a transmission medium, comprising:

• a code segment including instructions to read probe specifications from a probe library into an internal representation;
• a code segment including instructions to interpret the probe specifications into byte code;
• and
• a code segment including instructions to inject the byte code into method bodies at specific injection points.