DCEVM reloading fails with NoSuchMethodError when changing lambda captures of lambda stored in memory and rerunning it

[natanfudge]

Steps to reproduce

1. Follow the instructions from Youtrack. In short:

• Setup an "Enhanced Class Redefinition" launch configuration, i.e. set VM options to

-XX:+AllowEnhancedClassRedefinition -XX:HotswapAgent=fatjar

• Add the hotswap-agent-2.0.2.jar file from here into the lib/hotswap directory in the JBR, and rename it into hotswap-agent.jar.
• You can use the -core hotswap agent, or no hotswap agent at all, and it will crash all the same.

2. Run this code in debug mode in Intellij IDEA:

val lambdas = mutableListOf<Runnable>()
fun main() {
    val x = 10
    subcallAdd(x)
    while (true) {
        Thread.sleep(100)
        subcallRun()
    }
}

private fun subcallRun() {
    lambdas.forEach { it.run() }
}

private fun subcallAdd(x: Int) {
    val lambda = Runnable {
        println(x)
        println("Halo1")
    }
    lambdas.add(lambda)
}

3. Comment out the line

println(x);

By doing this you have made the lambda no longer capture x, and the function signature of the lambda changes from (int) to ()
4. Reload changed classes, using a hotkey, or the new integrated Idea popup button.
5. Observe crash:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: 'void MainKt.subcallAdd$lambda$1(int)'
	at MainKt.subcallRun(Main.kt:20)
	at MainKt.main(Main.kt:15)
	at MainKt.main(Main.kt)

• You can write it in Java, or add instead of removing capture, and it will crash all the same.

Expected Behavior

The code reloads successfully; The code continues executing without running println(x); i.e. without printing x.

Actual Behavior

Program crashes with NoSuchMethodError on reload with a lambda capture change.

Environment

Using Windows 11, latest JBR Release 21.0.6b631.42. Using Gradle if the matters.

Notes

• Related to DCEVM reloading fails with NoSuchMethodError when changing lambda captures in active stack frame #534 but has a different cause
• If you use an anonymous class instead of a lambda it works:

private fun subcallAdd(x: Int) {
//    val lambda = Runnable {
//        println(x)
//        println("Halo1")
//    }

    val lambda = object : Runnable {
        override fun run() {
            println(x)
            println("Halo1")
        }
    }

    lambdas.add(lambda)
}

• Same goes with Java - lambda doesn't work; anonymous class does work.

Investigation

While the anonymous class creates a new class and adds an instance of it to the list:

public final class io/github/natanfudge/fn/MainKt$subcallAdd$lambda$1 implements java/lang/Runnable
      ...
      public run()V
      ...

... In `subcallAdd`:
NEW io/github/natanfudge/fn/MainKt$subcallAdd$lambda$1

The lambda generates a method and adds it to the list using invokedynamic:

private final static subcallAdd$lambda$1(I)V
...
... in `subcallAdd`:
INVOKEDYNAMIC run(I)Ljava/lang/Runnable; [
    // handle kind 0x6 : INVOKESTATIC
    java/lang/invoke/LambdaMetafactory.metafactory(Ljava/lang/invoke/MethodHandles$Lookup;Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/invoke/MethodType;Ljava/lang/invoke/MethodType;Ljava/lang/invoke/MethodHandle;Ljava/lang/invoke/MethodType;)Ljava/lang/invoke/CallSite;
    // arguments:
    ()V,
    // handle kind 0x6 : INVOKESTATIC
    io/github/natanfudge/fn/MainKt.subcallAdd$lambda$1(I)V,
    ()V
]

[skybber]

Thank you for the great description and the reproducible example! We'll take a look at it and get back to you once we have more information.

[skybber]

1. What really happens when you reload the class

   • DCEVM swaps the byte-code of the class on disk.
   • It cannot touch the lambda objects that were already created and are still alive in memory.

2. Why the crash appears

   • Before the reload a lambda captured the variable x, so the compiler produced a helper method
     subcallAdd$lambda$1(int).
   • After the reload the lambda no longer captures anything, so a different helper method is generated:
     subcallAdd$lambda$1().
   • Existing lambda objects still hold a direct pointer to the old (int) method.
     When they run, the VM looks for that method, does not find it, and throws NoSuchMethodError.

3. Why DCEVM cannot “fix” it

   • The pointer is stored inside a ConstantCallSite; by design the JVM treats it as immutable.
   • DCEVM can’t rewrite those call sites or update every live lambda instance.
   • This is a limitation of the JVM linkage model, not a bug in DCEVM.

4. Work-arounds you can use

   • Create fresh lambdas after the reload – e.g. clear the list and call subcallAdd() again.

Because the behaviour is inherent to how lambdas and invokedynamic work, it can’t be solved automatically.