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The JLS defines binary compatibility strictly according to linkage; if P links with L₁ and continues to link with L₂, the change made in L₂ is binary compatible. The runtime behavior after linking is not included in binary compatibility:

JLSv3 JLS §13.4.22 – Method and Constructor Body
Changes to the body of a method or constructor do not break [binary] compatibility with pre-existing binaries.

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Besides Java SE APIs, as a platform the JDK exposes many other kinds of exported interfaces. These interfaces should generally be evolved analogously to behavioral compatibility in Java SE APIs, avoiding gratuitously breaking clients of the interface.

Managing Compatibility

Original Preface to JLS
Except for timing dependencies or other non-determinisms and given sufficient time and sufficient memory space, a program written in the Java programming language should compute the same result on all machines and in all implementations.

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