How to access JDK tools.jar javac from application deployed in JBoss 7 or WildFly

Question

I am deploying an application that tries to use javac and finally fails with java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com/sun/tools/javac/Main

How should I make javac from tools.jar available to the application deployed in JBoss 7 or WildFly ?

Answer 1

Here is the process I followed to create a JBoss module for javac:

mkdir -p modules/com/sun/tools/javac/main
ln -s /usr/java/latest/lib/tools.jar modules/com/sun/tools/javac/main/tools.jar

Create modules/com/sun/tools/javac/main/module.xml with content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<module xmlns="urn:jboss:module:1.1" name="com.sun.tools.javac">
    <resources>
        <resource-root path="tools.jar"/>
    </resources>
    <dependencies>
        <module name="javax.api"/>
        <system export="true">
            <paths>
                <path name="com/sun/tools/javac"/>
            </paths>
        </system>
    </dependencies>
</module>

Note: I used a symbolic link because absolute path seems not supported by resource-root path attribute.

Then either add Dependencies: com.sun.tools.javac in META-INF/MANIFEST.MF or create a jboss-deployment-structure.xml file to declare use of this new module by the application: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/JBoss_Enterprise_Application_Platform/6.2/html/Development_Guide/Add_an_Explicit_Module_Dependency_to_a_Deployment1.html