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Hacker News Show HN: Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms

A Java pathfinding solution that achieves C++-like performance, enabling 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms and handling large path distances without heap bloat, by addressing fundamental Java performance issues like object-heaviness and GC-hostility.

8
Traction Score
2
Discussions
May 6, 2026
Launch Date
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Product Positioning & Context

AI Executive Synthesis
A Java pathfinding solution that achieves C++-like performance, enabling 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms and handling large path distances without heap bloat, by addressing fundamental Java performance issues like object-heaviness and GC-hostility.
Pathetic addresses a critical performance bottleneck in Java-based pathfinding, a common requirement in simulations, logistics, and gaming. Existing Java libraries are characterized as object-heavy and GC-hostile, leading to poor performance and memory bloat. This product's innovation lies in its low-level, C++-like optimization approach within Java, utilizing a zero-allocation primitive heap and micro-optimizations like bit-packing and custom heuristics. The demonstrated performance of 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms and efficient handling of 100k+ node paths without heap bloat represents a significant leap. This directly solves a developer pain point for applications requiring high-throughput, low-latency pathfinding, enabling use cases previously impractical in pure Java environments. Its extensibility and pure Java compatibility make it a compelling foundational component for performance-critical Java systems.
It started with drones. My co-founder and I were building a Minecraft plugin where drones had to navigate through unloaded chunks - terrain that doesn't even exist in memory yet. No existing library had any concept of it, which led to drones being stuck in non-existence.Sloppy at first, tightly coupled to Minecraft's API, we built our own. But somewhere along the way we realized: the problem wasn't Minecraft. It was how Java pathfinding is built in general - object-heavy, GC-hostile, and single-threaded by assumption.So I split the project. The core became its own thing: pure Java 8+ for compatibility, featuring a zero-allocation primitive heap instead of a theoretically optimal FibonacciHeap, because pointer chasing and cache misses were unacceptable. 100% async, even in a single-threaded, async-hating Minecraft hell, and a processor pipeline providing full extensibility. No game engine, yet the possibility to adapt to your environment.Sometimes it isn't the algorithm that needs optimization, but the environment it lives in. Pathetic is full of these micro-optimizations: a BloomFilter lookup before the expensive closed set check, a multi-metric squared heuristic to kill Math.sqrt() overhead, and bit-packing 3D coordinates into a single primitive long. In order to get Java fast, you need to treat it like C++.The result: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms, where most libraries quietly die. A 20k distance path (equivalent to 100k+ nodes) in ~60ms without bloating the heap.
The README is... a choice. Judge it, because it does the same to you.
Java pathfinding unloaded chunks object-heavy GC-hostile single-threaded pure Java 8+ zero-allocation primitive heap FibonacciHeap

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What is Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms?
Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms is analyzed by our AI as: A Java pathfinding solution that achieves C++-like performance, enabling 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms and handling large path distances without heap bloat, by addressing fundamental Java performance issues like object-heaviness and GC-hostility.. It focuses on Pathetic addresses a critical performance bottleneck in Java-based pathfinding, a common requirement in simulations, logistics, and gaming. Existin...
Where did Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms originate?
Data for Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms was aggregated directly from the Hacker News community ecosystem, representing raw developer and early-adopter sentiment.
When was Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms publicly launched?
The initial public indexing or launch date for Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms within our tracked developer communities was recorded on May 6, 2026.
How popular is Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms?
Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms has achieved measurable traction, logging over 8 traction score and facilitating 2 recorded discussions or engagements.
Which technical categories define Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms?
Based on metadata extraction, Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms is categorized under topics such as: Java pathfinding, unloaded chunks, object-heavy, GC-hostile.
How does the creator describe Pathetic – Java pathfinding: 10k concurrent paths in ~7ms?
The original author or development team describes the product as follows: "It started with drones. My co-founder and I were building a Minecraft plugin where drones had to navigate through unloaded chunks - terrain that doesn't even exist in memory yet. No existing librar..."

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