Introduction to Java: A true object oriented programming language

Introduction to Java

This tutorial tells the history of Java & explains Java programming language. This article does not cover the installation of the Java Development Kit (JDK).

The History of Java Technology

Since 1995, Java has changed our world . . . and our expectations.

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling from Sun Microsystems in 1991 (which has since merged into Oracle Corporation) and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform.

James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton initiated the Java language project in June 1991. Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at the time. The language was initially called Oak after an oak tree that stood outside Gosling's office; it went by the name Green later, and was later renamed Java, from Java coffee, said to be consumed in massive quantities by the language's creators.

Over time several versions of Java were released which enhanced the language and its libraries. The current version of Java is Java 1.7 also known as Java 7 (codename 'Dolphin') is a major update to Java that was launched on July 7, 2011 and was made available for developers on July 28, 2011.Java 8 is expected in summer 2013 and will include at a minimum the features that were planned for Java 7 but later deferred.

From the Java programming language, the Java platform evolved. The Java platform allows that code is written in other languages then the Java programming language and still runs on the Java virtual machine.

Principles

There were five primary goals in the creation of the Java language:

1. It should be "simple, object-oriented and familiar"
2. It should be "robust and secure"
3. It should be "architecture-neutral and portable"
4. It should execute with "high performance"
5. It should be "interpreted, threaded, and dynamic"

To know complete history of Java, check out the Java Timeline

Introduction to Java programming

Much of the syntax of Java is the same as C and C++ and has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities. One major difference is that Java does not have pointers.

Java is a complete object-oriented programming language with a built-in application programming interface (API) that can handle graphics and user interfaces and that can be used to create applications or applets. Because of its rich set of APIs, similar to Macintosh and Windows, and its platform independence, Java can also be thought of as a platform. Java also has standard libraries for doing mathematics.

The Java programming language consists of a Java compiler, the Java virtual machine, and the Java class libraries. The Java virtual machine (JVM) is a software implementation of a computer that executes programs like a real machine.

bytecode is the magic of Java programming. The Java compiler translates Java coding into so-called bytecode. The Java virtual machine interprets this bytecode and runs the program this provides "Write Once, Run Anywhere" capability. Bytecode, also known as p-code (portable code).

The Java virtual machine (JVM) is written specifically for a specific operating system.

The Java runtime environment (JRE) consists of the JVM and the Java class libraries.

Check out my next article Advantages & Features of Java.