Java is a programming language that is quite similar to C and C++. Introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1995, Java's popularity has greatly increased throughout the years. Java can create programs that can be run not only on one computer, but also on multiple computers through a network! Java can also be used to create what is known as "applets." These applets can be placed on webpages to increase user-interaction. Some of these applets might include games, quizzes, and other applications!
There are some important things to know about Java.
2. Programs you create with Java are portable. Java programs can be run on any system and anywhere in a network, as long as the computer has a Java Virtual Machine. The Java Virtual Machine is a Java interpreter. Java programs are compiled into byte-codes. The Java Virtual Machine interprets the byte-codes into a code that your computer hardware can understand.
Java can be used to write very reliable software. The objects in a Java language cannot make any references to data external to themselves. This makes sure that data in another application or in the operating system are not called upon by the instructions in a Java program. If it is included in the instructions, the applications and operating system might crash! Thankfully, Java eliminates these problems.
3. Java is very secure. This is good, because many java applets are downloaded from the Internet everyday. Now, who would want to download something that isn't secure? When a Java Virtual Machine loads a Java program to interpret for your computer, it might perform a byte-code verification program if it does not trust the code. This helps to make Java safe from illegal byte-codes.
4. Java is simple- at least as far as programming languages go. It is similar to C and C++, so programmers who are already familiar with these two languages will find Java fairly simple. Also, Java has removed some of the excessive features in C and C++. It replaces features that result in poor programming practices with different, easier features!
As you can see, Java is a really interesting language. It's no wonder that
it has enthralled programmers for years! If you would like to learn java,
I would suggest taking a trip up to your local library, or visiting http://www.htmlgoodies.com,
and checking out their Java tutorial!
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