1.1. What Is Java?In discussing Java, it is important to distinguish between the Java programming language, the Java Virtual Machine, and the Java platform. The Java programming language is the language in which Java applications, applets, servlets, and components are written. When a Java program is compiled, it is converted to byte codes that are the portable machine language of a CPU architecture known as the Java Virtual Machine (also called the Java VM or JVM). The JVM can be implemented directly in hardware, but it is usually implemented in the form of a software program that interprets and executes byte codes. The Java platform is distinct from both the Java language and Java VM. The Java platform is the predefined set of Java classes that exist on every Java installation; these classes are available for use by all Java programs. The Java platform is also sometimes referred to as the Java runtime environment or the core Java APIs (application programming interfaces). The Java platform can be extended with optional packages (formerly called standard extensions). These APIs exist in some Java installations but are not guaranteed to exist in all installations. 1.1.1. The Java Programming LanguageThe Java programming language is a state-of-the-art, object-oriented language that has a syntax similar to that of C. The language designers strove to make the Java language powerful, but, at the same time, they tried to avoid the overly complex features that have bogged down other object-oriented languages like C++. By keeping the language simple, the designers also made it easier for programmers to write robust, bug-free code. As a result of its elegant design and next-generation features, the Java language has proved popular with programmers, who typically find it a pleasure to work with Java after struggling with more difficult, less powerful languages. Java 5.0, the latest version of the Java language,[1] includes a number of new language features, most notably generic types, which increase both the complexity and the power of the language. Most experienced Java programmers have welcomed the new features, despite the added complexity they bring.
1.1.2. The Java Virtual MachineThe Java Virtual Machine, or Java interpreter, is the crucial piece of every Java installation. By design, Java programs are portable, but they are only portable to platforms to which a Java interpreter has been ported. Sun ships VM implementations for its own Solaris operating system and for Microsoft Windows and Linux platforms. Many other vendors, including Apple and various commercial Unix vendors, provide Java interpreters for their platforms. The Java VM is not only for desktop systems, however. It has been ported to set-top boxes and handheld devices that run Windows CE and PalmOS. Although interpreters are not typically considered high-performance systems, Java VM performance has improved dramatically since the first versions of the language. The latest releases of Java run remarkably fast. Of particular note is a VM technology called just-in-time (JIT) compilation whereby Java byte codes are converted on the fly into native platform machine language, boosting execution speed for code that is run repeatedly. 1.1.3. The Java PlatformThe Java platform is just as important as the Java programming language and the Java Virtual Machine. All programs written in the Java language rely on the set of predefined classes[2] that comprise the Java platform. Java classes are organized into related groups known as packages. The Java platform defines packages for functionality such as input/output, networking, graphics, user-interface creation, security, and much more.
It is important to understand what is meant by the term platform. To a computer programmer, a platform is defined by the APIs he can rely on when writing programs. These APIs are usually defined by the operating system of the target computer. Thus, a programmer writing a program to run under Microsoft Windows must use a different set of APIs than a programmer writing the same program for a Unix-based system. In this respect, Windows and Unix are distinct platforms. Java is not an operating system. Nevertheless, the Java platform provides APIs with a comparable breadth and depth to those defined by an operating system. With the Java platform, you can write applications in Java without sacrificing the advanced features available to programmers writing native applications targeted at a particular underlying operating system. An application written on the Java platform runs on any operating system that supports the Java platform. This means you do not have to create distinct Windows, Macintosh, and Unix versions of your programs, for example. A single Java program runs on all these operating systems, which explains why "Write once, run anywhere" is Sun's motto for Java. The Java platform is not an operating system, but for programmers, it is an alternative development target and a very popular one at that. The Java platform reduces programmers' reliance on the underlying operating system, and, by allowing programs to run on top of any operating system, it increases end users' freedom to choose an operating system. 1.1.4. Versions of JavaAs of this writing, there have been six major versions of Java. They are:
To write programs in Java, you must obtain the Java Development Kit ( JDK). Sun releases a new version of the JDK for each new version of Java. Don't confuse the JDK with the Java Runtime Environment ( JRE). The JRE contains everything you need to run Java programs, but it does not contain the tools you need to develop Java programs (primarily the compiler). In addition to the Standard Edition of Java used by most Java developers and documented in this book, Sun has also released the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (or J2EE) for enterprise developers and the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) for consumer electronic systems, such as handheld PDAs and cellular telephones. See Java Enterprise in a Nutshell and Java Micro Edition in a Nutshell (both by O'Reilly) for more information on these other editions. |