Overview of Java
An object oriented programming language
- Most features borrowed from C++
- Popular due to its integration with Web browsers
A set of software development features and techniques.
- Focus on effective design of data
- Data types are programmed as `classes'
- All operations that operate on a class are grouped together
Advantages (if used properly)
- Maintainability
- Flexibility
- Reuse
None of the following are new, but Java integrates them well
- Simple OO language with good mix of features
- Typical software is automatically downloaded
- in a `compiled' form composed of `bytecodes'
- A Virtual Machine (VM) on each platform interprets the bytecodes
- Hence a program is portable across all platforms
- Each platform's native GUI is used
Ordinary stand-alone programs
Downloaded over the network when you access a Web page
- Most common use to date:
- Creating eye-catching features to make Web-pages more attractive
- A different language with related syntax
- Used in Web pages for simple tasks like checking fields in forms
- Very limited functionality
- Not compiled
- Can work with Java
- A Web-browser from Sun
- Written in Java as a demonstration of its power