The agent currently creates a Retransformer and associated listener when option redefine:true is supplied in the -javaagent options string, It then gets this object to retrospectively apply rules to any matching classes which have already been loaded. If this option is omitted then a Transformer is created. This (1.5 compatible) class does not perform retrospective redefinition. It would be better if retrospective transformation was done by either class (1.5 compatibility has already been abandoned).

This changes the meaning of the :redefine option somewhat. What it really means to supply this as true is 'start up a listener so rules can be loaded on the fly". It would be better to rename the option to listener:true (while retaining redefine as an alias). This also needs a documentation update.