{"id":1223,"date":"2019-05-17T08:43:37","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T00:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/?p=1223"},"modified":"2019-05-17T08:43:37","modified_gmt":"2019-05-17T00:43:37","slug":"top-9-free-java-process-monitoring-tools-how-to-choose-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/?p=1223","title":{"rendered":"Top 9 Free Java Process Monitoring Tools &#038; How to Choose One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So your Java code runs. Perhaps it even runs on a production server.\nAfter you pat yourself on the shoulder on a job well done, we\u2019ve got\ngood news and annoying news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The annoying news is that now, the debugging starts. Debugging and\napplication performance monitoring that is. This means looking beyond\nthe code written and into the internal workings of the JVM. You don\u2019t\nonly need to do this at the debugging stage (using profilers), but also\nin production (with an APM) to measure performance and detect issues in\nyour code. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news? Contrary to what you may have heard, this doesn\u2019t have\n to be traumatic or expensive. To help equip you for the ongoing process\n of optimization and the life of debugging ahead of you, we\u2019ve gathered a\n list of the best tools to monitor the JVM in both development and\nproduction environments. And the best part? <strong>They all come for a very affordable price: free. No trials, no license purchases<\/strong> \u2013 just the tools you need to delve behind the scenes of your code execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are Java Profilers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A Java Profiler is a tool that monitors Java bytecode constructs and operations at the JVM level<\/strong>. Profilers track all method calls and memory usage, allowing you to dive into the call structure at whatever angle you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your standard profiler will provide you with a lot of information,\nthe usefulness of which depends mostly on the debugging task at hand. <strong>It\n should detail out all memory usage by the JVM including object\ncreation, method executions, iterative executions (including recursive\ncalls), thread executions, and garbage collection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The IDE Defaults<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since process monitoring is so important for efficient development\nand debugging of Java programs, all popular IDE vendors offer their own\nbranded profiler either built-in or as a plugin you can download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eclipse.org\/mat\/\"><strong>Eclipse MAT<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/overview.png\" alt=\"eclipse mat\" class=\"wp-image-228\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Eclipse Memory Analyzer<\/strong> is a Java heap analyzer that can help you pinpoint memory leaks and reduce memory consumption. It can be used to <strong>analyze productive heap dumps to calculate the retained sizes of objects<\/strong>, see who is preventing the Garbage Collector from collecting objects, and run a report to automatically extract leak suspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.<a href=\"https:\/\/plugins.jetbrains.com\/plugin\/8537-jvm-debugger-memory-view\"><strong>JetBrains JVM Debugger Memory View<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/screenshot_16351-1024x410.png\" alt=\"jetbrains jvm debugger memory view plugin\" class=\"wp-image-229\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The JVM Debugger Memory View plugin, compatible with both Intellij IDEA and Android Studio, <strong>extends the built-in JVM debugger with capabilities to explore objects in the JVM heap during a debug session<\/strong>. It shows you the total number of objects in the heap grouped by their class name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3.<\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/profiler.netbeans.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Netbeans Profiler<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/methods_index.png\" alt=\"netbeans profiler\" class=\"wp-image-230\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Netbeans IDE has its own built-in profiler called simply (and rather unoriginally) Profiler. Its <strong>features include CPU, memory, threads, locks and SQL queries profiling, as well as basic JVM monitoring<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alternative Java Process Monitoring Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a programmer, you know that the default is not always the best\nchoice. In fact, it usually isn\u2019t. So it makes sense to check the\nalternatives to the profiler of your IDE to see which tool is the best\nfor your needs, especially if it\u2019s free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4.<a href=\"https:\/\/visualvm.github.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">VisualVM<\/a><\/strong><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/visualvm_screenshot.png\" alt=\"visualvm\" class=\"wp-image-231\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dubbing itself as an \u201cAll-in-One Java Troubleshooting Tool\u201d, VisualVM\n is a visual tool integrating command-line JDK tools and lightweight\nprofiling capabilities. It monitors and troubleshoots applications\nrunning on Java using various technologies including <strong>jvmstat, JMX, Serviceability Agent (SA) and Attach API<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oracle.com\/technetwork\/java\/javaseproducts\/mission-control\/java-mission-control-1998576.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oracle Java Mission Control<\/a><\/strong><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/screen-capture-01-large-1024x614.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-232\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Java Mission Control, along with Java Flight Recorder, <strong>allow\nfor profiling and event collecting of low level information about the\nbehavior of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and the Java application<\/strong>. This set of tools, packaged with the Oracle JDK, also provide detailed analysis of the data collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Java Application Performance Monitors (APMs)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Application performance monitors are very rarely free. In fact, the\nmajority of AMPs used range from fairly affordable to\nenterprise-exclusive. Which is really a shame when you consider how\nimportant it is to monitor application performance, especially with a\ncomplex application topology executing (hopefully) in cohesion on the\nsame server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only because this is a sure way to spot bugs and issues but also\nbecause users expect and demand performance from the apps you build. And\n you should too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6.<\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/glowroot.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Glowroot<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/9785461b-f248-4d1e-8276-15c99b922302-1024x577.png\" alt=\"glowroot\" class=\"wp-image-233\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An open source Java APM, Glowroot prides itself on being lightweight,\n easy to install and offers an extensive feature-set as well as support\nof a variety of application servers. <strong>Free and well-documented,\nGlowroot is the performance monitoring solution for Java programmers who\n are also avid fans of open source softwares<\/strong> (or simply lack a budget).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7.<a href=\"http:\/\/naver.github.io\/pinpoint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pinpoint<\/a><\/strong><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/ss_server-map-1024x624.png\" alt=\"pinpoint\" class=\"wp-image-234\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you go big, pinpointing issues doesn\u2019t get easier, but often harder. Which is why PinPoint can come in handy <strong>if you\u2019re looking to monitor the performance of large-scale distributed systems written in Java<\/strong>.\n Free and open-sourced, PinPoint provides a solution to help analyze the\n overall structure of the system and how components within them are\ninterconnected by tracing transactions across distributed applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8.<\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/javamelody\/javamelody\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>JavaMelody<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/statistiques-1024x558.png\" alt=\"javamelody\" class=\"wp-image-235\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Developed specifically for Java EE applications, JavaMelody lets you\nmeasure and calculate the real operation of your applications in QA and\nproduction environments. <strong>This comprehensive free and open source solution is easy to integrate in most applications<\/strong> and (thanks to its lack of database and profiling) is particularly lightweight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9.<\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/scouter-project\/scouter\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Scouter<\/strong><\/a><br \/><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.codota.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/maxresdefault-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"scouter\" class=\"wp-image-236\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Calling itself \u201cthe open source new relic and appdynamics\u201d, Scouter\ntries to deliver the same value for free and through community\ndevelopment efforts. Among others, <strong>scouter can show you information about user activity, service metrics, and resource distribution<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which is Best?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having a selection of free solutions to address your problem can be a\n bit like being a kid in a candy store with unlimited credit. Can\u2019t be\ngood for your dental health. So how to pick one? Well, don\u2019t. <strong>You should pick at least two and according to statistics, probably even more<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a good reason all those paid APM services offer a trial\nperiod \u2013 gotta test before you commit. Either financially or simply by\ninvesting the time in picking the tool to integrate. At the end of the\nday, you deserve a tool to simplify your work making sure your apps run\nsmoothly from code to production. All that, without being tied to a paid\n service.\f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So your Java code runs. Perhaps it even runs on a production server. After you pat yourself on the shoulder [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1223\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jsjs.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}