Java has worse RAD support than Delphi, yet Delphi AOT compiles to native code.
AOT compiling to native code, as standard option, would have improved Java's acceptance as safe language for desktop applications, due to better bundling, distribution and startup time.
To the point that even Oracle does reckonize this, and is delivering an initial way of partially AOT compiling on GNU/Linux x64, with support for other platforms planned for Java 10.
> I would imagine hot code swap probably doesn't work with AOT (aka JRebel) so that would hurt RAD.
Sure it does, that can be done with dynamic libraries. Many game engines make use of this approach.
Other environments like Eiffel and Lisp, have a set of JIT/AOT compilers, JIT during development and AOT for deployment.
AOT compiling to native code, as standard option, would have improved Java's acceptance as safe language for desktop applications, due to better bundling, distribution and startup time.
To the point that even Oracle does reckonize this, and is delivering an initial way of partially AOT compiling on GNU/Linux x64, with support for other platforms planned for Java 10.
> I would imagine hot code swap probably doesn't work with AOT (aka JRebel) so that would hurt RAD.
Sure it does, that can be done with dynamic libraries. Many game engines make use of this approach.
Other environments like Eiffel and Lisp, have a set of JIT/AOT compilers, JIT during development and AOT for deployment.