Java Profiling Tools: Beyond JProfiler (2025)

Java profiling tools help identify performance bottlenecks and optimize applications. This comprehensive guide explores various profiling tools and techniques beyond JProfiler.

Async Profiler

Async Profiler Configuration

# Download and install Async Profiler
wget https://github.com/jvm-profiling-tools/async-profiler/releases/download/v2.9/async-profiler-2.9-linux-x64.tar.gz
tar xzf async-profiler-2.9-linux-x64.tar.gz

# Start profiling with CPU sampling
./profiler.sh -d 30 -f cpu-profile.svg 12345

# Start profiling with memory allocation
./profiler.sh -d 30 -e alloc -f alloc-profile.svg 12345

# Start profiling with lock contention
./profiler.sh -d 30 -e lock -f lock-profile.svg 12345

Async Profiler Integration

public class AsyncProfilerExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Start profiling
        AsyncProfiler.getInstance().start("cpu");
        
        // Your application code
        processData();
        
        // Stop profiling and get results
        String result = AsyncProfiler.getInstance().stop();
        System.out.println(result);
    }
    
    private static void processData() {
        // Simulate CPU-intensive work
        for (int i = 0; i < 1000000; i++) {
            Math.sqrt(i);
        }
    }
}

Java Flight Recorder

JFR Configuration

// Enable JFR at startup
java -XX:StartFlightRecording=duration=60s,filename=recording.jfr -jar app.jar

// Start JFR programmatically
public class JFRExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Configure recording settings
        RecordingSettings settings = new RecordingSettings();
        settings.setDuration(Duration.ofSeconds(60));
        settings.setFilename("recording.jfr");
        
        // Start recording
        FlightRecorder.getFlightRecorder().startRecording(settings);
        
        // Your application code
        processData();
        
        // Stop recording
        FlightRecorder.getFlightRecorder().stopRecording();
    }
}

Custom Events

@Label("Order Processing")
@Description("Records order processing events")
public class OrderEvent extends Event {
    @Label("Order ID")
    private String orderId;
    
    @Label("Processing Time")
    private long processingTime;
    
    public void setOrderId(String orderId) {
        this.orderId = orderId;
    }
    
    public void setProcessingTime(long processingTime) {
        this.processingTime = processingTime;
    }
}

public class OrderProcessor {
    public void processOrder(Order order) {
        OrderEvent event = new OrderEvent();
        event.begin();
        
        try {
            // Process order
            processOrderLogic(order);
            
            event.setOrderId(order.getId());
            event.setProcessingTime(System.currentTimeMillis() - event.getStartTime());
        } finally {
            event.commit();
        }
    }
}

Java Mission Control

JMC Analysis

// Configure JMC for analysis
public class JMCAnalysis {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Enable detailed GC logging
        System.setProperty("java.util.logging.manager", "org.jboss.logmanager.LogManager");
        System.setProperty("java.util.logging.config.file", "logging.properties");
        
        // Configure GC options
        System.setProperty("java.awt.headless", "true");
        System.setProperty("sun.rmi.dgc.server.gcInterval", "3600000");
        
        // Your application code
        processData();
    }
}

GC Analysis

public class GCAnalysis {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Configure GC logging
        System.setProperty("java.util.logging.config.file", "gc-logging.properties");
        
        // Enable GC events in JFR
        System.setProperty("jdk.jfr.event.gc.enabled", "true");
        
        // Your application code
        processData();
    }
}

VisualVM

VisualVM Integration

public class VisualVMExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Enable JMX
        System.setProperty("com.sun.management.jmxremote", "true");
        System.setProperty("com.sun.management.jmxremote.port", "9999");
        System.setProperty("com.sun.management.jmxremote.authenticate", "false");
        System.setProperty("com.sun.management.jmxremote.ssl", "false");
        
        // Enable VisualVM profiler
        System.setProperty("visualvm.display.name", "My Application");
        
        // Your application code
        processData();
    }
}

Custom Monitoring

@MXBean
public interface CustomMetricsMXBean {
    @Description("Get current order count")
    int getOrderCount();
    
    @Description("Get average processing time")
    double getAverageProcessingTime();
}

public class CustomMetrics implements CustomMetricsMXBean {
    private int orderCount = 0;
    private long totalProcessingTime = 0;
    
    @Override
    public int getOrderCount() {
        return orderCount;
    }
    
    @Override
    public double getAverageProcessingTime() {
        return orderCount > 0 ? (double) totalProcessingTime / orderCount : 0;
    }
    
    public void recordOrder(long processingTime) {
        orderCount++;
        totalProcessingTime += processingTime;
    }
}

Best Practices

Profiling Best Practices

• Profile in production-like environment
• Use appropriate sampling rates
• Monitor overhead impact
• Use proper event thresholds
• Analyze both CPU and memory
• Use proper recording duration
• Enable relevant events
• Use proper analysis tools
• Monitor system resources
• Use proper logging levels
• Enable thread profiling
• Use proper GC settings
• Enable proper security
• Use proper data collection
• Follow profiling guidelines

Conclusion

Java profiling tools provide powerful capabilities for performance analysis and optimization. By understanding and utilizing these tools effectively, you can identify and resolve performance issues in your applications.