System and method for efficient compilation and invocation of function type calls

A method of generating efficient code for function type calls in a Java virtual machine or similar environment, comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer which includes
• a virtual machine for executing a software application thereon,
• a memory space which stores software application bytecode that includes callsites, compiled machine code, and software objects, as parts of the software application, and
• a bytecode to machine code compiler, which optimizes function reference invocations for use within the software application, including, during compilation of the bytecode and prior to execution of a particular callsite;
• acquiring a function reference that references a target function and that has a function type signature associated therewith;
• determining that the target function is co/contra variant with respect to the callsite;
• determining that the target function type is a type that can be safely called from the particular callsite;
• and
• if the target function type is determined to be a type that can be safely called from the particular callsite then creating the function type carrier and its associated callsite.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon, which when read and executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps comprising:

• providing at a computer
• a virtual machine for executing a software application thereon,
• a memory space which stores software application bytecode that includes callsites, compiled machine code, and software objects, as parts of the software application, and
• a bytecode to machine code compiler, which optimizes function reference invocations for use within the software application, including, during compilation of the bytecode and prior to execution of a particular callsite;
• acquiring a function reference that references a target function and that has a function type signature associated therewith;
• determining that the target function is co/contra variant with respect to the callsite;
• determining that the target function type is a type that can be safely called from the particular callsite;
• and
• if the target function type is determined to be a type that can be safely called from the particular callsite then creating the function type carrier and its associated callsite.