Memory concerns over bean

Question

Hello All,
I'm developing an application and I've written this bean containing [many] convenience methods.
Now, over time, I've added more and more methods to this particular bean until the compiled class has risen to the approximate size of 80K. Which isn't massive, but seeing it contains a fairly substantial amount of code and I instantiate it in practically every single class that I've written, I'm concerned as to whether I've taken the correct approach from a memory usage point of view.
It's rare that any given class will use ALL of the methods that I've written into this 80K bean, in fact it's rare that a class will use more than a few methods for each instantiation.
Is it therefore best practice to "bust" beans like this up and leave the method names in the bean, but extract the code into a sub-package instead? That way the 80K bean could be reduced to a fraction of it's total potential size and only access the code the loading class needs...
OR
Are my concerns just issues that were relevent in the past and should I just trust the caching abilities of the JVM (the standard Sun JVM in this case)?

Answer 1

Each class and its methods are loaded at most once (unless you have multiple classloaders)
This means you can create as many instances as you wish without increasing the code size at all.
What is a good number of methods to have depends on coding style and there are some classes in the standard libraries with more methods than you suggest.
The to do what you suggest is to have all the helper methods in a Helper or Service class. You can have the base class and a getHelper() method to get all the methods you want as help methods. The base class can call the helper for you for key methods.
Have alook at the number of methods including inherited methods
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/javax/swing/JTable.html
void      addColumn(TableColumn aColumn)
void      addColumnSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
void      addNotify()
void      addRowSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
void      clearSelection()
void      columnAdded(TableColumnModelEvent e)
int      columnAtPoint(Point point)
void      columnMarginChanged(ChangeEvent e)
void      columnMoved(TableColumnModelEvent e)
void      columnRemoved(TableColumnModelEvent e)
void      columnSelectionChanged(ListSelectionEvent e)
protected void      configureEnclosingScrollPane()
int      convertColumnIndexToModel(int viewColumnIndex)
int      convertColumnIndexToView(int modelColumnIndex)
protected TableColumnModel      createDefaultColumnModel()
void      createDefaultColumnsFromModel()
protected void      createDefaultRenderers()
protected ListSelectionModel      createDefaultSelectionModel()
protected JTableHeader      createDefaultTableHeader()
static JScrollPane      createScrollPaneForTable(JTable aTable)
void      doLayout()
boolean      editCellAt(int row, int column)
boolean      editCellAt(int row, int column, EventObject e)
void      editingCanceled(ChangeEvent e)
void      editingStopped(ChangeEvent e)
AccessibleContext      getAccessibleContext()
boolean      getAutoCreateColumnsFromModel()
int      getAutoResizeMode()
TableCellEditor      getCellEditor()
TableCellEditor      getCellEditor(int row, int column)
Rectangle      getCellRect(int row, int column, boolean includeSpacing)
TableCellRenderer      getCellRenderer(int row, int column)
boolean      getCellSelectionEnabled()
TableColumn      getColumn(Object identifier)
Class      getColumnClass(int column)
int      getColumnCount()
TableColumnModel      getColumnModel()
String      getColumnName(int column)
boolean      getColumnSelectionAllowed()
TableCellEditor      getDefaultEditor(Class columnClass)
TableCellRenderer      getDefaultRenderer(Class columnClass)
boolean      getDragEnabled()
int      getEditingColumn()
int      getEditingRow()
Component      getEditorComponent()
Color      getGridColor()
Dimension      getIntercellSpacing()
TableModel      getModel()
Dimension      getPreferredScrollableViewportSize()
int      getRowCount()
int      getRowHeight()
int      getRowHeight(int row)
int      getRowMargin()
boolean      getRowSelectionAllowed()
int      getScrollableBlockIncrement(Rectangle visibleRect, int orientation, int direction)
boolean      getScrollableTracksViewportHeight()
boolean      getScrollableTracksViewportWidth()
int      getScrollableUnitIncrement(Rectangle visibleRect, int orientation, int direction)
int      getSelectedColumn()
int      getSelectedColumnCount()
int[]      getSelectedColumns()
int      getSelectedRow()
int      getSelectedRowCount()
int[]      getSelectedRows()
Color      getSelectionBackground()
Color      getSelectionForeground()
ListSelectionModel      getSelectionModel()
boolean      getShowHorizontalLines()
boolean      getShowVerticalLines()
boolean      getSurrendersFocusOnKeystroke()
JTableHeader      getTableHeader()
String      getToolTipText(MouseEvent event)
TableUI      getUI()
String      getUIClassID()
Object      getValueAt(int row, int column)
protected void      initializeLocalVars()
boolean      isCellEditable(int row, int column)
boolean      isCellSelected(int row, int column)
boolean      isColumnSelected(int column)
boolean      isEditing()
boolean      isRowSelected(int row)
void      moveColumn(int column, int targetColumn)
protected String      paramString()
Component      prepareEditor(TableCellEditor editor, int row, int column)
Component      prepareRenderer(TableCellRenderer renderer, int row, int column)
protected boolean      processKeyBinding(KeyStroke ks, KeyEvent e, int condition, boolean pressed)
void      removeColumn(TableColumn aColumn)
void      removeColumnSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
void      removeEditor()
void      removeNotify()
void      removeRowSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
protected void      resizeAndRepaint()
int      rowAtPoint(Point point)
void      selectAll()
void      setAutoCreateColumnsFromModel(boolean autoCreateColumnsFromModel)
void      setAutoResizeMode(int mode)
void      setCellEditor(TableCellEditor anEditor)
void      setCellSelectionEnabled(boolean cellSelectionEnabled)
void      setColumnModel(TableColumnModel columnModel)
void      setColumnSelectionAllowed(boolean columnSelectionAllowed)
void      setColumnSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
Selects the columns from index0 to index1, inclusive.
void      setDefaultEditor(Class columnClass, TableCellEditor editor)
void      setDefaultRenderer(Class columnClass, TableCellRenderer renderer)
void      setDragEnabled(boolean b)
void      setEditingColumn(int aColumn)
void      setEditingRow(int aRow)
void      setGridColor(Color gridColor)
void      setIntercellSpacing(Dimension intercellSpacing)
void      setModel(TableModel dataModel)
void      setPreferredScrollableViewportSize(Dimension size)
void      setRowHeight(int rowHeight)
void      setRowHeight(int row, int rowHeight)
void      setRowMargin(int rowMargin)
void      setRowSelectionAllowed(boolean rowSelectionAllowed)
void      setRowSelectionInterval(int index0, int index1)
void      setSelectionBackground(Color selectionBackground)
void      setSelectionForeground(Color selectionForeground)
void      setSelectionMode(int selectionMode)
void      setSelectionModel(ListSelectionModel newModel)
void      setShowGrid(boolean showGrid)
void      setShowHorizontalLines(boolean showHorizontalLines)
void      setShowVerticalLines(boolean showVerticalLines)
void      setSurrendersFocusOnKeystroke(boolean surrendersFocusOnKeystroke)
void      setTableHeader(JTableHeader tableHeader)
void      setUI(TableUI ui)
void      setValueAt(Object aValue, int row, int column)
void      sizeColumnsToFit(boolean lastColumnOnly)
void      sizeColumnsToFit(int resizingColumn)
void      tableChanged(TableModelEvent e)
protected void      unconfigureEnclosingScrollPane()
void      updateUI()
void      valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent e)
Methods inherited from class javax.swing.JComponent
addAncestorListener, addPropertyChangeListener, addPropertyChangeListener, addVetoableChangeListener, computeVisibleRect, contains, createToolTip, disable, enable, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, firePropertyChange, fireVetoableChange, getActionForKeyStroke, getActionMap, getAlignmentX, getAlignmentY, getAncestorListeners, getAutoscrolls, getBorder, getBounds, getClientProperty, getComponentGraphics, getConditionForKeyStroke, getDebugGraphicsOptions, getDefaultLocale, getGraphics, getHeight, getInputMap, getInputMap, getInputVerifier, getInsets, getInsets, getListeners, getLocation, getMaximumSize, getMinimumSize, getNextFocusableComponent, getPreferredSize, getPropertyChangeListeners, getPropertyChangeListeners, getRegisteredKeyStrokes, getRootPane, getSize, getToolTipLocation, getToolTipText, getTopLevelAncestor, getTransferHandler, getVerifyInputWhenFocusTarget, getVetoableChangeListeners, getVisibleRect, getWidth, getX, getY, grabFocus, isDoubleBuffered, isLightweightComponent, isManagingFocus, isMaximumSizeSet, isMinimumSizeSet, isOpaque, isOptimizedDrawingEnabled, isPaintingTile, isPreferredSizeSet, isRequestFocusEnabled, isValidateRoot, paint, paintBorder, paintChildren, paintComponent, paintImmediately, paintImmediately, print, printAll, printBorder, printChildren, printComponent, processComponentKeyEvent, processKeyEvent, processMouseMotionEvent, putClientProperty, registerKeyboardAction, registerKeyboardAction, removeAncestorListener, removePropertyChangeListener, removePropertyChangeListener, removeVetoableChangeListener, repaint, repaint, requestDefaultFocus, requestFocus, requestFocus, requestFocusInWindow, requestFocusInWindow, resetKeyboardActions, reshape, revalidate, scrollRectToVisible, setActionMap, setAlignmentX, setAlignmentY, setAutoscrolls, setBackground, setBorder, setDebugGraphicsOptions, setDefaultLocale, setDoubleBuffered, setEnabled, setFont, setForeground, setInputMap, setInputVerifier, setMaximumSize, setMinimumSize, setNextFocusableComponent, setOpaque, setPreferredSize, setRequestFocusEnabled, setToolTipText, setTransferHandler, setUI, setVerifyInputWhenFocusTarget, setVisible, unregisterKeyboardAction, update
Methods inherited from class java.awt.Container
add, add, add, add, add, addContainerListener, addImpl, applyComponentOrientation, areFocusTraversalKeysSet, countComponents, deliverEvent, findComponentAt, findComponentAt, getComponent, getComponentAt, getComponentAt, getComponentCount, getComponents, getContainerListeners, getFocusTraversalKeys, getFocusTraversalPolicy, getLayout, insets, invalidate, isAncestorOf, isFocusCycleRoot, isFocusCycleRoot, isFocusTraversalPolicySet, layout, list, list, locate, minimumSize, paintComponents, preferredSize, printComponents, processContainerEvent, processEvent, remove, remove, removeAll, removeContainerListener, setFocusCycleRoot, setFocusTraversalKeys, setFocusTraversalPolicy, setLayout, transferFocusBackward, transferFocusDownCycle, validate, validateTree
Methods inherited from class java.awt.Component
action, add, addComponentListener, addFocusListener, addHierarchyBoundsListener, addHierarchyListener, addInputMethodListener, addKeyListener, addMouseListener, addMouseMotionListener, addMouseWheelListener, bounds, checkImage, checkImage, coalesceEvents, contains, createImage, createImage, createVolatileImage, createVolatileImage, disableEvents, dispatchEvent, enable, enableEvents, enableInputMethods, getBackground, getBounds, getColorModel, getComponentListeners, getComponentOrientation, getCursor, getDropTarget, getFocusCycleRootAncestor, getFocusListeners, getFocusTraversalKeysEnabled, getFont, getFontMetrics, getForeground, getGraphicsConfiguration, getHierarchyBoundsListeners, getHierarchyListeners, getIgnoreRepaint, getInputContext, getInputMethodListeners, getInputMethodRequests, getKeyListeners, getLocale, getLocation, getLocationOnScreen, getMouseListeners, getMouseMotionListeners, getMouseWheelListeners, getName, getParent, getPeer, getSize, getToolkit, getTreeLock, gotFocus, handleEvent, hasFocus, hide, imageUpdate, inside, isBackgroundSet, isCursorSet, isDisplayable, isEnabled, isFocusable, isFocusOwner, isFocusTraversable, isFontSet, isForegroundSet, isLightweight, isShowing, isValid, isVisible, keyDown, keyUp, list, list, list, location, lostFocus, mouseDown, mouseDrag, mouseEnter, mouseExit, mouseMove, mouseUp, move, nextFocus, paintAll, postEvent, prepareImage, prepareImage, processComponentEvent, processFocusEvent, processHierarchyBoundsEvent, processHierarchyEvent, processInputMethodEvent, processMouseEvent, processMouseWheelEvent, remove, removeComponentListener, removeFocusListener, removeHierarchyBoundsListener, removeHierarchyListener, removeInputMethodListener, removeKeyListener, removeMouseListener, removeMouseMotionListener, removeMouseWheelListener, repaint, repaint, repaint, resize, resize, setBounds, setBounds, setComponentOrientation, setCursor, setDropTarget, setFocusable, setFocusTraversalKeysEnabled, setIgnoreRepaint, setLocale, setLocation, setLocation, setName, setSize, setSize, show, show, size, toString, transferFocus, transferFocusUpCycle
Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object
clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait