Java is a programming language that was born out of frustration over the complexity and size of C++ programs. It’s commonly used throughout the Internet as well as mobile devices. It is much simpler than C++ and it uses an object-oriented programming model. Java is used to create web applications called applets that can be used in a variety of ways to add functionality to a website. These applets are what make it possible for users to directly interact with a web page. You most likely have been running some sort of Java software for the last 10+ years and didn’t even know it!

When creating a website, you can add many different types of functionality to help users use your site easier. These features can be things such as stylized menus, data forms, counters, clocks, etc. Check out HotScripts.com for a sampling of the things you can do with Java.

Characteristics of Java

• You can develop portable programs in a network by compiling them into “bytecode”. This bytecode can be run on any client computer that runs the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). JVM interprets the bytecode into code that the computer understands. Most computer software is designed for specific operating systems, whereas Java software is executed on the fly by the virtual machine. This enabled Sun Microsystems to create the various OS versions of Java Virtual Machine, but only one Java app.
• Java software is written so that it cannot pull references and objects from external data sources. Essentially, all of its instructions are contained within the Java code. This ensures that the Java Virtual Machine does not crash. Every object is inspected by JVM to be of the highest quality to maintain a functional environment. All of this makes Java a very robust programming language.
• Because Java is object-oriented, it allows an object to be part of a group (or class) or other objects, which can then inherit any code that’s part of that class. A way to describe this would be to compare it to Microsoft Active Directory, where you can have a group of users that all have individual permissions, but they also all inherit the permissions of the whole group.
• Java runs very fast because it’s ran locally from the client’s computer rather than from a server.
• Compared to C++, Java is a much easier programming language to learn.

Java was first created by Sun Microsystems in 1990 as part of the Stealth Project. It soon grew into what we know of Java today and all major web browsers now include the Java Virtual Machine to parse Java code

on websites. Mobile devices and smartphones all utilize Java as well. On cell phones, Java is more commonly used to support game play.

Java and JavaScript: the same?

Contrary to what you might have thought, these two are not the same. JavaScript originated at Netscape as a programming language used to run smaller applications on webservers or client machines. Java is able to run apps without needing an operating system requirement and because of this, it’s considered a better solution, even for web apps. JavaScript, however, is much easier to learn than Java.

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