Question 1

How to set up Virgil for automatic Java recompilation in Clojure?

Accepted Answer

Add Virgil as a dependency in your project file, then use `virgil/watch-and-recompile` with a list of source directories; optionally, add a post-hook with clj-reload or tools.namespace to refresh Clojure code, as shown in the README example.

Question 2

Does Virgil support Java 17 or newer JDK versions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Virgil supports JDK 8, 11, 17, 21, and 25 as per the CI job mentioned in the README, and future versions typically only require bumping the ASM library dependency.

Question 3

How to fix imported classes not updating after Virgil recompile?

Accepted Answer

Re-import the namespace or use a reload tool like clj-reload to refresh the Clojure code, as imported names stick to old class versions until the ns form is recompiled, explained in the 'What happens when I recompile a class?' section.

Question 4

Can I use Virgil in production for runtime Java compilation?

Accepted Answer

Technically yes, but it's not advised due to reliability issues, extra runtime dependencies, and potential lack of JDK tools in JRE environments; the README recommends using javac during build steps instead.

Question 5

Virgil vs using javac directly in Clojure projects

Accepted Answer

Virgil excels for live recompilation in development REPL workflows, eliminating restarts, while javac is better for production builds where stability and minimal dependencies are key, as noted in the 'Can I use Virgil in production?' section.

Question 6

How to integrate Virgil with tools.namespace?

Accepted Answer

Call Virgil's compile functions and then trigger tools.namespace refresh, similar to the clj-reload example in the README; use a post-hook with `watch-and-recompile` to automate this after Java changes.

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