Basic Concepts of Java Programming
Part 1
@UD
(Java features, Hello World)
Jul-2022
Java in IT Industry (Jun'2022)
Background
Object-oriented language developed by Sun in mid 1990s.
• Originally called Oak
• Originally intended for embedded systems and consumer
electronics
Java Version History
1993 Oak project at Sun
• small, robust, architecture independent, Object-Oriented,
language to control interactive TV.
• didn’t go anywhere
1995 Oak becomes Java
• Focus on the web
1996 Java 1.0 available
1997 (March) Java 1.1 - some language changes, much larger
library, new event handling model
1997 (September) Java 1.2 beta – huge increase in libraries
including Swing, new collection classes, J2EE
1998 (October) Java 1.2 final (Java2!)
2000 (April) Java 1.3 final
2001 Java 1.4 final (assert)
2004 Java 1.5 (parameterized types, enum, …) (Java5!)
2005 J2EE 1.5
What is Java? (cont)
Object-Oriented
• Designed to support Object Oriented concepts
• Contains non-Object Oriented primitive data types
What is Java? (cont)
Distributed
• Applications constructed using objects.
• Objects distributable in multiple locations (within a network
environment).
• Extensive integration with TCP/IP
Interpreted
• Compiles to byte-code (not machine code). Byte code is
interpreted
• Most Java versions after 1.2 include JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler
(which compiles byte code to machine code)
Robust
• Memory management done automatically
• Use of pointers limited
What is Java? (cont)
Secure
• All Java code subject to security
model.
Architecture-Neutral/Portable
• Compiled Java (byte code) will run
on any platform having JVM (Java
Virtual Machine)
• The Java Virtual Machine is
available for almost all platforms
(even mainframes)
What is Java? (cont)
High-Performance
• Originally, Java's performance was poor
• Now, Java's performance rivals C++
Multi-Threaded
• Processes contain multiple threads of execution.
• Similar to multi-tasking but all threads share the same memory
space
Dynamic
• Makes heavy use of dynamic memory allocation.
• Classes can be dynamically loaded at any time.
Platform Independence - How Java does it?
Java described as WORA (Write once, Run Anywhere)
• Mostly true
• Not always true with GUI.
• Require a lot of testing.
Because Java source code (.java) compiled to Byte Code
(.class) and Byte Code is interpreted…
• Java code can be executed anywhere that interpreter is available
The "Interpreter" is called the Java Virtual Machine
HelloWorld.java
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args){ // method
System.out.println("Hello World");
}
}
Running HelloWorld
To compile HelloWorld.java, use the compiler. If successful, it will
produce a file called HelloWorld.class in the same directory.
$ javac HelloWorld.java
[ compiler output ] errors and warnings
To execute, run the Java VM and include the name of the class
which contains the "main" method as the first command line
parameter.
$ java HelloWorld
Hello World note: do not include the .class extension
output from program
Additional reading: System.out.println
