Characterizations for Java Memory

We provide non-operational characterizations of Java memory consistency model (Java Consistency, or simply Java). The work is based on the operational definition of the Java memory consistency as given in the Java Language Specification 161. We study the relation of Java memory behavior to that of some well known models, proving that Java is incomparable with PRAM Consistency and with both variants of Processor Consistency; it is neither stronger nor weaker We show that a programmer can rely on Coherence and a certain variant of Causality for regular variables, Sequential Consistency for volatile variables, and Release Consistency when locks are employed. Proofs are omitted in this extended abstract, see the full version [4].