All about “JAVA”

Java is basically a programming language,which was originally developed by James Gosling (best known as the father of the Java programming language) at Sun microsystems which is now a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation. It was first released by Sun in 1995. In short, it is the underlying technology that powers state-of-the-art programs including utilities, games, and business applications. Java runs on more than 850 million personal computers worldwide, and on billions of devices worldwide, including mobile and TV devices.

Why do people need JAVA?

There are lots of applications and websites that won’t work unless you have Java installed, and more are created every day. Java is fast, secure, and reliable. From laptops to datacenters, game consoles to scientific supercomputers, cell phones to the Internet, Java is everywhere!

Characteristics of JAVA

The programs you create are portable in a network
The code is robust, here meaning that, unlike programs written in C++ and perhaps some other languages, the Java objects can contain no references to data external to themselves or other known objects.
Java is object-oriented, which means that, among other characteristics, an object can take advantage of being part of a class of objects and inherit code that is common to the class.
In addition to being executed at the client rather than the server, a Java applet has other characteristics designed to make it run fast.
Relative to C++, Java is easier to learn. (However, it is not a language you’ll pick up in an evening!)

Difference between JAVA and JAVASCRIPT

JavaScript should not be confused with Java. JavaScript, which originated at Netscape, is interpreted at a higher level and is easier to learn than Java, but lacks some of the portability of Java and the speed of bytecode. Because Java applets will run on almost any operating system without requiring recompilation and because Java has no operating system-unique extensions or variations, Java is generally regarded as the most strategic language in which to develop applications for the Web. (However, JavaScript can be useful for very small applications that run on the Web client or server.)

Editions

Sun has defined and supports four editions of Java targeting different application environments and segmented many of its APIs so that they belong to one of the platforms. The platforms are:

Java Card for smartcards.
Java Platform, Micro Edition (Java ME) — targeting environments with limited resources.
Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) — targeting workstation environments.
Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) — targeting large distributed enterprise or Internet environments.

Download

Java is free to download. You can get the latest version at http://java.com.

If you are building an embedded or consumer device and would like to include Java, please contact Oracle for more information on including Java in your device.

Why must you stay updated?

The latest Java version contains important enhancements to improve performance, stability and security of the Java applications that run on your machine. Installing this free update will ensure that your Java applications continue to run safely and efficiently.

Overall JAVA is a must for internet users to ensure a rich and wonderful experience on the web !