TIL vanilla Java has the facilities to do (some form) of arbitrary compile time metaprogramming via annotation processors

yupp. Basically, you write code that will be run by the compiler to generate java code moments before the actual compilation.

The problem is, that Java's MirrorAPI is a PITA to work with 😅 And long outdated (~java5) docs don't make it any easier.

e.g. There are several ways to reference a type/class (4 or 5?) and they all have different properties and can be obtained through different builders/factories/other sources. And some of them one piece of data and the others have some other data and it's quite a pain to orchestrate them all in a single annotation processor :)

@netikras Oh boy, I just learned about it's existence and have to use it for a uni assignment so sounds like I'm in for a world of fun 🙃

@12bitfloat at keast you know now it won't be a breeze and can plan your time ahead. Also, you have a good hint that took me a while to dig up - the keyword 'Mirror API' :)

Btw another cool thing Java can do is javaagent :) not related to the annot. processor, but related to 'cool things java can do' ;)

it's a security risk if mishandled, but also hell of a feature for an sre/middleware/perf team

@netikras Java agent I already knew about, and it's actually even cooler IMO :D

Minecraft core modding for dayys