I have a class library which is compiled with JDK 1.7 It uses several 1.7 features and classes and would be very difficult to get it recompiled in JDK 1.5.
This needs to integrate with an old legacy application with is currently running on JRE 1.5. The integration itself will be quick because the library has just 1 class and very little methods which need to be called from the application. The application owners aren't ready to move to Jre 1.7 immediately.
What are my options here? Is there a way to quickly convert the library into a Server on which the methods can be called remotely by the application? Are there any frameworks available to get this up and running quickly? I don't want to spend too much time on this because the application will move to 1.7 in a years time and this is a stop gap thing for the meantime.
Is there a better way to do this?
Best Answer
In my experience there are relatively few difficulties involved in taking a java 1.5 application and running it on a later vm. Java is generally quite good at maintaining backward compatibility, and the few parts that are not compatible between versions are mostly well separated into the sun.* package hierarchy.
I would therefore aim to migrate the legacy application to a modern vm as soon as possible. There is little to be gained by delaying when it is likely to be a simpler job than the one you are proposing now.