The Attach API is an extension that provides a mechanism to attach to a Java virtual machine. A tool written in the Java Language, uses this API to attach to a target virtual machine and load its tool agent into that virtual machine. For example, a management console might have a management agent which it uses to obtain management information from instrumented objects in a virtual machine. If the management console is required to manage an application that is running in a virtual machine that does not include the management agent, then this API can be used to attach to the target virtual machine and load the agent.