JAVA
A high-level programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. Java was
originally called OAK, and was designed for handheld devices and set-top
boxes. Oak was not successful, and in 1995 Sun changes the name to Java and
modifies the language to take advantage of the developing World Wide Web.
Java is an object-oriented language very similar to C++, but simplified to
eliminate language features that cause common programming errors. Java source
code files (files with a .java extension) are compiled into a format
called bytecode (files with a .class extension), which can then
be executed by a Java interpreter. Compiled Java code can run on most computers
because Java interpreters and runtime environments, known as Java Virtual
Machines (VMs), exist for most operating systems, including UNIX, the
Macintosh OS, and Windows. Bytecode can also be converted directly into machine
language instructions by a just-in-time compiler (JIT). Usage of Java
Virtual Machines makes the java
programming language platform independent.
Java is a general purpose programming language with a number of features
that make the language well suited for use on the World Wide Web. Small Java
applications are called Java applets and can be downloaded from a Web server
and run on your computer by a Java-compatible Web browser, such as Netscape
Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
