After completion of compilation process in java, programmer need to know about what the characteristics of java are and what java virtual machine is. In this article we will cover these two topics which are main part in programming.
Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
As you are aware that any source program needs to be either compiled or interpreted before it can be executed. But with Java, a combination of these two is used. Program written in Java are compiled into Java Byte code, which is then interpreted by a special Java Interpreter for a special platform. Actually this Java interpreter is known as the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
The machine language for the java Virtual Machine is called Java byte code. Actually the Java interpreter running on any machine appears and behaves like a “virtual” processor chip, that is why, the name – Java Virtual Machine. The Java Virtual is an abstract machine designed to be implemented on the top of existing Virtual Machine can be implemented in software or hardware.
JVM, combined with Java API makes Java Platform. The Java API (Application Programming Interface) are libraries of compiled code that can be used in your programs. In other words, the Java API consist of the functions and variables that programmers are allowed to use in their applications.
Characteristics of Java
Although Java has many and many characteristics that make it eligible for a powerful and popular language. In the following lines, we are going to discuss a few important characteristics of java.
- Write Once Run Anywhere (WORA): the java programs need to be written just once which can run on different platforms without making changes in the Java programs. Only the Java interpreter is changed depending upon the platform.
- Light Weight Code: With Java, big and useful applications can also be created with very light code. No huge coding is required.
- Security: Java offers many security features to make its programs safe and secure.
- Built-in Graphics: Java offers many built-in graphics features and routines which can be used to make Java application more visual.
- Object-Oriented Language: Java is object-oriented language, thereby, very near to real word.
- Supports Multimedia: Java is ideally suited for integration of video, audio, animation and graphics in Internet environment.
- Platform Independent: Java is essentially platform independent. Change of platform does not affect the original Java program/application.
- Open Product: Java is an open product, freely available to all. However, there exist some special time-saving Java development kits, which can be available by paying small amounts.
After this, let us move on to discussion of how to create programs in Net Beans Java environment. But before that you must know what rapid application development is.