Evolution of Java

Java Evolution Details :




The Java programming Language  Evolved From A Language Named Oak


  • Java was initially launched as Java 1.0 but soon after its initial release, Java 1.1 was launched. Java 1.1 redefined event handling, new library elements were added.

  • Oak was developed in the early nineties at Sun Microsystems as a platform-independent language aimed at allowing entertainment appliances such as video game consolesand VCRs to communicate .

  • Just as the deals with the set-top box manufacturers were falling through, the World Wide Web was coming to life.

  • As Oak’s developers began to re cognize this trend, their focus shifted to the Internet and WebRunner, an Oak-enabled browser, was born.

  • Oak’s name was changed to Java and WebRunner became the HotJava web browser.

  • The excitement of the Internet attracted software vendors such that Java development tools from many vendors quickly became available.

  • That same excitement has provided the impetus for a multitude of software developers to discover Java and its many wonderful features.



  • Significant Language Features


  • Platform Independence - Java compilers do not produce native object code for a particular platform but rather ‘byte code’ instructions for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Making Java code work on a particular platform is then simply a matter of writing a byte code interpreter to simulate a JVM. What this all means is that the same compiled byte code will run unmodified on any platform that supports Java.

  • Object Orientation - Java is a pure object-oriented language. This means that everything in a Java program is an object and everything is descended from a root object class.

  • Rich Standard Library - One of Java’s most attractive features is its standard library. The Java environment includes hundreds of classes and methods in six major functional areas.
    • Language Support classes for advanced language features such as strings, arrays, threads, and exception handling.
    • Utility classes like a random number generator, date and time functions, and container classes.
    • Input/output classes to read and write data of many types to and from a variety of sources.
    • Networking classes to allow inter-computer communications over a local network or the Internet.
    • Abstract Window Toolkit for creating platform-independent GUI applications.
    • Applet is a class that lets you create Java programs that can be downloaded and run on a client browser.
  • Applet Interface - In addition to being able to create stand-alone applications, Java developers can create programs that can downloaded from a web page and run on a client browser.

  • Familiar C++-like Syntax - One of the factors enabling the rapid adoption of Java is the similarity of the Java syntax to that of the popular C++ programming language.

  • Garbage Collection - Java does not require programmers to explicitly free dynamically allocated memory. This makes Java programs easier to write and less prone to memory errors.

  • Areas of Application

    • World Wide Web Applets
    • Cross-Platform Application Development
    • Other Network Applications


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