Optimize your Ruby with JRuby: JRuby 10 and the future of Ruby on the JVM

Presented at SF Bay Area Ruby Meetup on June 4, 2025 in San Francisco, California, USA.

Transcript

1. Optimize your Ruby with JRuby JRuby 10 and the future of Ruby on the JVM
2. Hello! • Charles Oliver Nutter • @headius(@mastodon.social) • headius@headius.com • JRuby developer since 2004 • Full-time JVM language advocate • Headius Enterprises lead architect • "The JRuby Company"
4. What is JRuby? • Ruby on the Java Virtual Machine • Ruby implementation fi rst, JVM language second • Many bene fi ts from JVM ecosystem • Ruby code should "just work" • Different extension API, no forking, parallel threads • Thousands of production users, 18 years of real-world use
5. What Is Important? • Usability: compatibility, startup time, warmup time • Runtime features: GC, JIT, monitoring, pro fi ling, concurrency • Platform features: mobile, server, desktop, integration, deployment • Performance: straight line, scaling, parallelism, resource usage • Different applications needs different capabilities
6. Getting Started
8. JRuby Install • Install a Java runtime • Java 21+ required for JRuby 10 • Latest Java recommended (Java 24) • Install JRuby • Recommended: Ruby installer, system package, Docker image • Download tarball/zip, Windows installer, build yourself
9. $ java -version openjdk version "24" 2025-03-18 OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 24+36-3646) OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 24+36-3646, mixed mode, sharing) $ ruby-install jruby-10.0.0.1 >>> Updating jruby versions ... >>> Installing jruby 10.0.0.1 into /Users/headius/.rubies/jruby-10.0.0.1 ... >>> Downloading https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/jruby/jruby-dist/10.0.0.1/jruby- dist-10.0.0.1-bin.tar.gz into /Users/headius/src ... % Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed 100 32.1M 100 32.1M 0 0 7887k 0 0:00:04 0:00:04 --:--:-- 7887k >>> Verifying jruby-dist-10.0.0.1-bin.tar.gz ... >>> Extracting jruby-dist-10.0.0.1-bin.tar.gz to /Users/headius/src/jruby-10.0.0.1 ... >>> Installing jruby 10.0.0.1 ... >>> Symlinking bin/ruby to bin/jruby ... >>> Successfully installed jruby 10.0.0.1 into /Users/headius/.rubies/jruby-10.0.0.1
10. [] ~ $ irb >> RUBY_VERSION => "3.4.2" >> JRUBY_VERSION => "10.0.1.0-SNAPSHOT" >> runtime = java.lang.Runtime.runtime => #<Java::JavaLang::Runtime:0x64a896b0> >> runtime.available_processors => 8 >> runtime.free_memory => 91420584 >>
11. Ruby Compatibility • JRuby 10 leaps to Ruby 3.4 • Language and core specs: 98% passing • Pure-Ruby standard library shared with CRuby • JRuby support for most native stdlib • JRuby 9.4 supports Ruby 3.1 • Maintained until April 2026
12. JVM Libraries
13. A Whole New World • JVM ecosystem has tens of thousands of libraries • Graphics, GUIs, servers, document formats, AI/LLM • One of the largest collections in the dev world • All available to JRuby users! • Easy integration into Ruby apps and code
17. Example: JFreeChart • Chart-generating library with support for document output • Easily used from JRuby • https://blog.headius.com/ 2025/05/3d-charts-and-more-with- jruby-and-jfreechart.html
18. Dependencies • Jar fi le, like Gem fi le • Like Bundler's Gem fi le • List of libraries and versions from Maven • lock_jars command • Like bundle install jar 'org.jfree:jfreechart:1.5.5' jar 'org.jfree:org.jfree.chart3d:2.1.0' $ lock_jars -- jar root dependencies -- org.jfree:jfreechart:1.5.5:compile org.jfree:org.jfree.chart3d:2.1.0:compile org.jfree:org.jfree.svg:5.0.6:compile org.jfree:org.jfree.pdf:2.0:compile Jars.lock updated
19. Import or Set Constants Color = java.awt.Color Rectangle = java.awt.Rectangle BufferedImage = java.awt.image.BufferedImage java_import java.awt.Color java_import java.awt.Rectangle java_import java.awt.image.BufferedImage java_import javax.imageio.ImageIO java_import org.jfree.chart3d.Chart3DFactory java_import org.jfree.chart3d.data.DefaultKeyedValues ...
20. Load Data into Dataset require 'json' dataset = StandardCategoryDataset3D.new data = JSON.load(File.read("data/app_monitoring_revenue.json")) data.each do |name, subset| values = DefaultKeyedValues.new subset.each { values.put(_1, _2) } dataset.add_series_as_row name, values end
21. Create a 3D Bar Chart chart = Chart3DFactory.create_bar_chart( "Quarterly Revenues", "Application & Performance Monitoring Companies", dataset, nil, "Quarter", "$million Revenues") chart.chart_box_color = Color.new(255, 255, 255, 127) chart.legend_anchor = LegendAnchor::BOTTOM_RIGHT
22. Adjust Rendering plot = chart.plot plot.gridline_paint_for_values = Color::BLACK renderer = plot.renderer item_label_generator = StandardCategoryItemLabelGenerator.new( StandardCategoryItemLabelGenerator::VALUE_TEMPLATE) item_selection = StandardKeyedValues3DItemSelection.new item_label_generator.item_selection = item_selection renderer.item_label_generator = item_label_generator
23. Render to PNG width, height = 600, 500 category_chart_image = BufferedImage.new(width, height, BufferedImage::TYPE_INT_RGB) category_chart_graphics = category_chart_image.create_graphics chart.draw(category_chart_graphics, Rectangle.new(width, height)) category_chart_file = File.open("category_chart.png", "w") ImageIO.write(category_chart_image, "PNG", category_chart_file.to_outputstream)
25. Render to SVG and PDF require_jar 'org.jfree', 'org.jfree.svg', '5.0.6' java_import org.jfree.svg.SVGGraphics2D svg_graphics = SVGGraphics2D.new(width, height) svg_graphics.defs_key_prefix = "jruby_charts" chart.element_hinting = true chart.draw(svg_graphics, Rectangle.new(width, height)) svg = svg_graphics.get_svg_element chart.id File.write("category_chart.svg", svg) require_jar 'org.jfree', 'org.jfree.pdf', '2.0.1' java_import org.jfree.pdf.PDFDocument pdf_doc = PDFDocument.new pdf_doc.title = "Application & Performance Monitoring Companies Revenue" pdf_doc.author = "Charles Oliver Nutter"; page = pdf_doc.create_page(Rectangle.new(612, 468)) pdf_graphics = page.graphics2D chart.draw(pdf_graphics, Rectangle.new(0, 0, 612, 468)) File.write("category_chart.pdf", pdf_doc.pdf_bytes)
26. GUI Libraries • Swing, built into JDK • Clean, cross-platform, easy to build simple UIs • Scalable Windowing Toolkit (Eclipse SWT) • Native widgets, WebKit browser component, rich ecosystem • JavaFX (via JRubyFX, github/jruby/jrubyfx) • Scene-based, vector drawing, event-driven modern UI library
27. Shoes 4
28. Glimmer • Glimmer GUI DSL • Multiple backends (SWT, GTK, ...) • JRuby + SWT is the most mature • JRuby makes cross-platform GUI much easier! • Works same everywhere • GUI libraries shipped with gem • https://github.com/AndyObtiva/glimmer
29. JavaFX • Scene-based UI toolkit • Cross-platform including mobile • JRubyFX provides a Ruby wrapper • FXML layout or widget scripting
30. Ruboto: JRuby on Android • ruboto.org, https://github.com/ruboto/ruboto • Actively used for commercial projects today • Build interface with GUI builder, wire it up with Ruby code • Neglected a bit but being updated for JRuby 10 now!
31. Ruboto IRB • IRB in JRuby on Android! • Plus an editor and script runner • Not currently in the store, but we will republish soon! • Search for "Ruboto Core" and "Ruboto IRB" APKs
32. JVM Features
33. JVM GC • Many options to tune JVM GCs • Heap size: small or large? • Throughput: faster allocations or shorter pause times? • Working set: large in-memory or mostly new objects? • Many options in standard OpenJDK • Serial, Parallel, G1, ZGC, Shenandoah
34. JVM JIT • HotSpot JIT is most widely deployed • C1 "client" JIT: fast, simple optimizations • C2 "server" JIT: needs pro fi le data, heavy optimization • Both enabled with various "tiers" of JIT • Graal JIT: newer, more aggressive optimizations • OpenJ9 JIT (IBM JDK): of fl ine AOT, JIT servers, CRIU
35. Monitoring and Pro fi ling • VisualVM: GUI console for basic JVM monitoring • JDK Flight Recorder: always-on monitoring with pro fi ling options • Low-overhead 1% to 5%, built into OpenJDK • JDK Mission Control: GUI client for Flight Recorder data • https://adoptium.net/jmc/
36. Visual VM
37. Mission Control: Memory
38. Mission Control: Methods
39. Performance and Scaling
40. Scaling Applications • Classic problem on CRuby/MRI • No concurrent threads, so we need worker processes • Processes duplicate runtime state and waste resources • JRuby is a good solution • Multi-threaded single process runs your entire site • Single process with leading-edge GC uses resources better
41. Baseline Rails App • Scaffolded "blog" application on PostgreSQL, Puma • IBM VPC instance: 8 vCPU, 32GB • Database, siege benchmark driver on same instance
42. Requests per second 0 450 900 1350 1800 60s siege iteration 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 JRuby CRuby 3.2 CRuby 3.2 + YJIT
43. requests per second (higher is better) 0rps 450rps 900rps 1350rps 1800rps 1,550rps 1,280rps 1,705rps JRuby CRuby CRuby + YJIT
44. Memory • JRuby single-user without tuning: 3.4GB RSS • JRuby with 300MB heap: 955MB RSS • Additional users only require a little more memory • CRuby single-user: 103MB RSS • Additional users eventually need additional processes • Even perfect Copy-On-Write still duplicates live data, JIT, GC
45. Memory Required 0MB 2000MB 4000MB 6000MB 8000MB 1 user 16 users 160 users JRuby CRuby
46. Optimizing JRuby 10
47. Optimizing Startup
48. Optimizing Startup • First impressions are important! • JRuby has always had much longer startup than CRuby • JVM must load, parse, optimize each time • Delaying parts of startup only helps "hello world" • Newer JDKs shipping improved startup features
49. JRuby Compiler Pipeline Ruby (.rb) JIT Java Instructions (java bytecode) Ruby Instructions (IR) parse interpret interpreter interpret C1 compile native code better native code java bytecode interpreter execute C2 compile Java Virtual Machine JRuby Internals
50. JVM Startup Projects • Application Class Data Store (AppCDS) • Pre-cache classes, methods, code, metadata across runs • Machine code caching (AOTCache) • AppCDS + execution pro fi les and native code • Coordinated restore at checkpoint (CRaC) • Capture entire process state and restore later (repeatedly)
51. 0s 0.35s 0.7s 1.05s 1.4s -e 1 0.17 0.712 0.847s 1.051s 1.001s 1.327s 0.064s CRuby 3.4 JRuby 9.4 JRuby 9.4 --dev JRuby 10 JRuby 10 --dev JRuby 10 --dev AOTCache JRuby on CRaC
52. Optimizing Performance
53. Optimizing Performance • JRuby depends on JVM for most optimization • JVM has world-class JIT compilers, garbage collectors • Similar design to ZJIT, but with 30 years of work in it • JRuby itself has an IR, basic block-based interpreter and JIT • Similar design to ZJIT starting in JRuby 9.0 (2015)
54. Pure Ruby red/black tree 0 20 40 60 80 red/black bench iters/s 76.8 iters/sec 65.5 iters/sec 15.1 iters/sec CRuby 3.4 CRuby 3.4 YJIT JRuby 10
55. Class#new Optimization • CRuby adding opt_new to optimize Class#new • Using C code to allocate + initialize hurts performance • JRuby implemented this in 2016 • If Class#new is default, allocate and call #initialize inline • Allocation and initialize both inline back to caller
56. Object.new
57. 0M 3.5M 7M 10.5M 14M Object.new allocations per second 0M 13M 10.3M Ruby 3.4 + YJIT Ruby 3.5 + opt_new JRuby 10
58. 0M 75M 150M 225M 300M Object.new allocations per second 217.5M 13M 10.3M Ruby 3.4 + YJIT Ruby 3.5 + opt_new JRuby 10 🤯
59. 1M 10M 100M 1000M 10000M Object.new allocations per second 217.5M 13M 10.3M Ruby 3.4 + YJIT Ruby 3.5 + opt_new JRuby 10
60. Allocation Pro fi le
61. class Foo def initialize = nil end
62. 1M 10M 100M Object.new allocations per second Foo.new allocations per second 216M 217.5M 22.1M 13M 10.3M 10.3M Ruby 3.4 + YJIT Ruby 3.5 + opt_new JRuby 10
63. Alternative JITs • HotSpot JIT • Standard JIT compiler in OpenJDK • Best balance of performance, reliability • Graal JIT • Part of GraalVM project • Advanced optimizations, sometimes unpredictable perf
64. 0M 750M 1500M 2250M 3000M Foo.new allocations per second 2,591.1M 216M JRuby 10 JRuby 10 + Graal 🤯
65. respond_to? • Commonly used for duck-typing • obj.to_str if respond_to?(:to_str) • Literal symbol form is by far the most common • Currently compiled as a call to respond_to? • respond_to? then does a method lookup every time • Can we do better?
66. foo if respond_to?(:foo)
67. respond_to? :foo invoke respond_to? :foo respond_to? method cached? look up respond_to? method invoke respond_to? method look up :foo cache respond_to? method return true or false is :foo implemented?
68. respond_to? :foo invoke respond_to? :foo respond_to? method cached? look up respond_to? method invoke respond_to? method look up :foo cache respond_to? method return result is :foo implemented? respond_to? :foo result cached? cache respond_to? :foo
69. 0M 20M 40M 60M 80M foo if respond_to?(:foo) 70.8M 22.3M 16.8M CRuby 3.4 + YJIT JRuby 10 JRuby 10.next
70. 0x 1.25x 2.5x 3.75x 5x foo if respond_to?(:foo) 4.2x 1.3x 1x CRuby 3.4 + YJIT JRuby 10 JRuby 10.next
71. JRuby Future
72. JRuby 10.x • Many more optimizations coming! • Now that we are 3.4 compatible, we can work on fun stuff • If you fi nd something that's slow, let us! • More JDK features • AOTCache for startup, Panama for fast native calls • Upgrade JVM, your JRuby code runs faster!
73. JRuby Development • Headius Enterprises LLC • JRuby support: updates, bugs, security • JVM, Ruby support: pro fi ling, optimization • Partner with us! • User support • GitHub sponsorships • Try JRuby out, fi le issues, push PRs • "Buy me a beer!"
74. Thank You! • Charles Oliver Nutter • @headius • @mastodon.social • .bsky.social • headius@headius.com • Help me keep working on JRuby!