What are JavaBeans?What are JavaBeans?
The success of systems like Borland's Delphi and Microsoft's Visual
Basic have
brought a great deal of attention to the concept of software components.
Java has
now entered the ring with its own component software specification, JavaBeans.
JavaBeans has ushered Java into a whole new era. Not only does it
provide a Rapid
Application Development (RAD) environment, but it also offers a general
framework for the development of reusable code libraries.
When the JavaBeans specification was finialized in time for inclusion
in JDK 1.1,
a whole lot of Java programmers heaved a big sigh of relief. The JavaBeans
specification describes a component architecture for Java -- not unlike
Microsoft's COM -- which allows Java to be used in a RAD environment.
The RAD paradigm separates programmers into two types: component developers,
who write small modules of code at the source level, and component users,
who create large applications by visually combining these modules
(components, or beans in Java parlance). Application development is significantly
eased because the component user does not need to write large amounts of
source
code, and can easily make use of new, existing, and third-party components.
Sorry, but we don't have any Java Bean applications
to show you. Just realize that
most computer programs (like Netscape Navigator, WordPerfect, etc.) are
being
rewritten using Java and/or Java Beans.
