In this article I will introduced you with the Java Technology and familiarize you with the features, JDK, Java Platform and the uses of the Java.
Introduction to Java Technologies and what it can do?
In this first tutorial I will introduce you about the Java Technologies and teach you how it can be used in developing the various types of applications for business.
Java is Programming language as well as the platform for developing and deploying the applications of various types. Java is Programming Language as it provides the API, Compiler and the testing tools for developing the applications. It is a platform as it provides the Java Virtual Machine for running the applications on different operating system.
Java as a Programming Language
Java is a Programming Language which provides many features and used to compile the Java program and test the application using the JDK. The main feature of Java Programming Language is its platform independence, means once it is developed on one platform it can run on any other platform (Windows. Linux, Unix, Mac etc..). So, this feature of Java Programming is also known as write one and run anywhere.
Here are the features of the Java Programming Language:
- Simple: Java is simple and its free from
pointers which makes it ideal programming language for writing
the bug free code. If we use the pointers in any programming
language the there are much more changes of introducing the bugs
in the program. Java was designed with the objective of easier
and bug free code development.
- Object oriented: Java is fully Object
Oriented Programming Language
- Distributed: Java programming language is
very powerful can be used to develop the network based
applications. It supports the development of Centralized and
Distributed applications.
- Multithreaded: Java supports multithreading
and it is extensively used for the development of multithreaded
applications.
- Dynamic: Java programming language is
dynamic as it supports the dynamic memory and also it enables
the developers to create the dynamic application.
- Architecture neutral: Java Programming
Language is architecture neutral as it can run on processors of
any architecture.
- Portable: Java Programming Language is
highly portable as it can run on all the operating system having
the JVM of that system.
- High performance: Java Programming Language
provides high performance due to Just in time compiler (JIT),
automatic garbage collection, no pointers and support of
multithreading.
- Robust: Java is good programming language
in terms of handling the compile time and runtime errors.
- Secure: Java programming language is deal for developing the secured applications and it supports Internal and External security for the applications.
How Java Program Works?
Java program is written in text editor and saved at simple text file with the .java extension. For example HelloWorld.java is very simple program in Java.
Then Java compiler is used to compile the program. If no error is found in the program Java compiler compiles the file into a bytecode file. For example if you compile the HelloWorld.java file it will produce the HelloWorld.class file.
The Java interpreter is used for running the Java program. Following diagram shows the process of compilation and execution of Java program.
Through Java interpreter (JVM) you can run the compiled program on any other OS and platform.
Java as a Platform
The term Platform is used for the Hardware and Software environment which actually runs the software. These days there are many platforms available for the users such as Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS etc. Java program can be run on all these platforms.
The Java Platform (JVM) is software only platform which runs on all the OS (Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS). There are following components of the Java Platform:
- The Java Virtual Machine: The Java Virtual
Machine contains the compiler for compiling the Bytecode (java)
into machine specific instructions. The JVM compiles the
bytecode into the machine specific code and then run on the
platform.
- The Java Application Programming Interface (API): In Java there are large number of ready-made components which can be used to develop the application. All these components are commonly know as the libraries in Java.
Following diagram shows the stack of the Java Platform:
Since Java is platform-independent environment and it runs in JVM, it is a bit slower then the native programs. But the advancement in the compiler and JVM technologies makes it comparable to the native code. More over you will get the portability and platform independence with the Java Programming Language.
Distribution to the Java Program
Since Java is platform independent programming language it can run on any platform. Once Java file is compiled into .class file it can be distributed on any platform. Following diagram shows how a program can run on different platform:
What Java Programming Technology Can do?
Java is general-purpose, high-level, object oriented programming language and a software platform for deploying the applications. It gives you following features for your applications:
- Development Tool: Java provides the
development tool form compiling (javac), for running the
application (java) and documentation (javadoc) tools for the
easy development and testing of the applications.
- API: It provides the Application
Programming Interface (API) which is ready made packages for
accomplishing various tasks in the programming. Java provides
large set the API to the developers.
- Deployment technologies: Java programming
language provides many deployment technologies such as Web
Start, Applets etc. for easy deployment of the applications.
- User Interfaces Toolkits: It provides the
JavaFX, Swing, and Java 2D toolkits for easy development of GUI
for the applications.
- Various Integration Libraries: There are many integration libraries such as Java IDL API, JDBC API, Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) API, Java RMI, and Java Remote Method Invocation over Internet Inter-ORB Protocol Technology (Java RMI-IIOP Technology) which can be used for the development of Java based applications.
Why Java is important as top Programming Language?
Java Programming Language is one of the top object oriented programming language used in the Software industry. Java Programming Language can be leaned with less effort and it enables the developers to better code.
Here are thing in which Java Programming Language will help you much:
- Quick Start: Java is easy to learn
programming language and C++ programmer can learn it very
easily.
- Write less code: Java programming language
is much easier and less no of line is need for any program. It
is estimated that it if you write and program in C++ and write
the same program in Java, in the Java program will have have to
write 4 times less code.
- Better coding: Java is devoid of pointer
and it makes Java programming much easier. In Java you can user
Generics which type checks your code in compile time. Java
Programming Language is all about writing the better code with
less efforts. This is possible only due to availability of
various API's available with the Java Programming Language.
- Platform independence and write one and run anywhere: Java Programming Language is platform independent and you can write your code once, compile it, package it and run it on any platform.
Further reading:
Read More tutorials of Master Java in a week series.