Java is the programming language being used to develop screen based applications. Java was first introduced by the Sun Microsystems in the year 1995. Java language helps to develop utility applications, business applications and gaming applications. Java is considered to be the first language to be used as interoperable and portable. Java code can be run in any operating system to get the output. Java Virtual Machines are being developed for almost every type of hardware and operating systems including high end servers to small end palmtops. Nowadays, lots of applications and websites are developed on Java. If on the computer of the user Java is not installed then certain application forces the user to install Java in order to get better functionality of the applications. Java has proved to be the secure, fast and reliable product. The product of Java is provided free to download and the latest updates been done on the product is also free. The main important thing of Java is that this language is open source and the code is available to everyone for their specific use.
The Java Runtime Environment (JRE) consists of the virtual machine, core classes and the supporting libraries. This JRE is the required platform because it runs the code in the web browser. There are three types of editions in Java Platform and they are: - JAVA SE (Standard Edition), JAVA ME (Micro Edition) and JAVA EE (Enterprise Edition). Through Java we can build many types of applications like Stand Alone applications, Web Based applications, Web Services applications, Console Applications and Enterprise Applications.
JAVA is considered to be the most secure language. The virtual machine of Java intercepts all the calls being made to operating system by the application like whether to print the file or to establish a connection or to fetch the file. In addition to this Java Virtual Machine also applies the restriction to the use of Operating System resources so that there is no security threat and no outsider can harm the internal functionality of the OS. Java is pure object oriented language and hence is very easy to manage than to manage process oriented language.
At the earlier stage Java was very much criticised about the poor look and feel area. But with the introduction of swings and reusable components in Java Beans had brought the Java at boom. The most advantageous part of Swings is that the look and feel of the application can be changed at runtime dynamically. Java can also have the remote access using the Remote Method Invocation or CORBA. This remote access had made the Java very easy to use.