A high-level programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.
Java was originally called OAK, and was designed for handheld
devices and set-top boxes. Oak was unsuccessful so in 1995 Sun
changed the name to Java and modified the language to take
advantage of the burgeoning World Wide Web.
Java is an object-oriented language similar to C++, but
simplified to eliminate language features that cause common
programming errors. Java source code files (files with a .java
extension) are compiled into a format called bytecode (files
with a .class extension), which can then be executed by a Java
interpreter. Compiled Java code can run on most computers
because Java interpreters and runtime environments, known as
Java Virtual Machines (VMs), exist for most operating systems,
including UNIX, the Macintosh OS, and Windows. Bytecode can
also be converted directly into machine language instructions
by a just-in-time compiler (JIT).
Java is a general purpose programming language with a number
of features that make the language well suited for use on the
World Wide Web. Small Java applications are called Java applets
and can be downloaded from a Web server and run on your computer
by a Java-compatible Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or
Microsoft Internet Explorer.
