Patent ID: 7721276

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for comparing Application Program Interfaces (APIs) between byte code releases, comprising: inputting class paths common to a first release of byte code and a second release of byte code; receiving a source input corresponding to the first release of the byte code and a target input corresponding to the second release of the byte code; transforming the source input into a first list that contains class names associated with the first release of the byte code, and the target input into a second list containing class names associated with the second release of the byte code; finding matching class names between the first list and the second list; loading only classes corresponding to the matching class names; comparing the loaded classes corresponding to the matching class names to identify APIs that have been modified between the first release of the byte code and the second release of the byte code, wherein an API has not been modified in case that it maintains a same name, parameter order, parameter types and return types in both the first release of the byte code and the second release of the byte code; and removing the matching class names from the first list and the second list after the comparing, wherein any class names remaining in the first list represent APIs that have been removed for the second release of the byte code, and wherein any class names remaining in the second list represent APIs that have been added for the second release of the byte code.