Java Overview

What's Java?

1. Java is an object-oriented applications programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s.
2. Java applications are typically compiled to bytecode, although compilation to native machine code is also possible.
3. At runtime, bytecode is usually either interpreted or compiled to native code for execution.

History

1. Java started as a project called "Oak".
2. The first public implementation was Java 1.0 in 1995.
3. 2006, Sun released parts of Java as free/open source software, under the GNU General Public License (GPL)

Features

• Platform independence

Java=> Java bytecode: portable
Java=>Native code: fast
Java=> Java bytecode: JIT compilation and dynamic recompilation allow Java programs to take advantage of the speed of native code without losing portability.

• Write Once, Run Anywhere: write a program once, compile it once, and run it anywhere.

• Automatic garbage collection
  

Extensions and related architectures

• Java EE (previously J2EE) (Java Platform, Enterprise Edition—for distributed enterprise applications)
• Java ME (previously J2ME) (Java Platform, Micro Edition—for PDAs and cellular phones)
• JMF (Java Media Framework)
• JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface)
• JSML (Java Speech API Markup Language)
• JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity)
• JDO (Java Data Objects)
• JAI (Java Advanced Imaging)
• JAIN (Java API for Integrated Networks)
• JDMK (Java Dynamic Management Kit)
• Jini (a network architecture for the construction of federated distributed systems)
• Jiro
• Java Card (Java for smart cards)
• JavaSpaces
• JML (Java Modeling Language)
• JMI (Java Metadata Interface)
• JMX (Java Management Extensions)
• JSP (JavaServer Pages)
• JSF (JavaServer Faces)
• JNI (Java Native Interface)
• JXTA (Open Protocols for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Virtual Network)
• Java 3D (A high level API for 3D graphics programming)
• JOGL (Java OpenGL—A low level API for 3D graphics programming, using OpenGL)
• LWJGL (Light Weight Java Game Library—A low level API providing access to OpenGL, OpenAL and various input devices)
• OSGi (Dynamic Service Management and Remote Maintenance)
• JMonkey Engine (High performance scene graph based 3D engine)